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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28768452">Unspoken Words</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duchess_Of_Dumpsters/pseuds/Duchess_Of_Dumpsters'>Duchess_Of_Dumpsters</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Me Saw Ghost [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Banana Bus Squad, Phasmophobia - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Blood and Injury, Eye Trauma, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Head Injury, Horror, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Shipping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:47:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28768452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duchess_Of_Dumpsters/pseuds/Duchess_Of_Dumpsters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"unspoken words" aka, "cartoonz nearly gets all his friends killed and loses an eye because he's too chickenshit to tell delirious he loves him" the fic<br/>-Summery supplied by my friend Pas</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cartoonz/Delirious/Corpse Husband, Dead Squirrel/Anthony/Rilla, Jihi as an ace queen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Me Saw Ghost [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Visual Evidence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Legs hung over the back of the couch, his head hanging upside down as he watched the screen, somehow it didn’t change the difficulty of the already chaotic game they played. The clicking and plastic clatter of cheap, off-brand controllers joined the game’s music, sound effects, and Delirious’ screaming. Honestly, Cartoonz wouldn’t have it any other way, even as Rilla used a special attack to launch his character into the abyss and out for that round.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Are you kidding me?! Do you see this Squirrel?!</b>
  <span>” Delirious’ volume not lowering at the sight of losing a teammate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did but maybe you should watch out- rip.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>RILLA YOU MURDERER!</b>
  <span>” Delirious screeched as he too, was rung out by Rilla, who laughed so hard he fell off the arm of the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that Rilla and Anthony had won the round, though with the hapless giggles they’d all devolved into one would be hard-pressed to really tell who the losers had been. Delirious was draped over Cartoonz in breathless wheezes by the end, wiping at tears. Cartoonz patted his back, his lungs burning from getting so cracked up, not to mention a bit light-headed from hanging upside down so long. Finally Delirious got enough control of himself to sit up and mercifully dragged Cartoonz up with him, Cartoonz let his legs fall to the side, landing where Rilla had been sitting earlier. He let out a relieved breath now that he was mostly righted, head draped across Delirious’ lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that was glorious.” Squirrel said breathlessly, wiping his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what’d follow that up perfectly?” Cartoonz asked the lot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d say chicken nuggets but Delirious is out.” Anthony said, sounding a smidge disappointed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did-” Delirious started to say, twisting to pin Anthony with a look but Cartoonz piped up quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go to the All Sevens.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could get chicken bites!” Anthony perked up, a big grin on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly.” Cartoonz smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cartoonz you're always thinking about food.” Delirious said, quirking an eyebrow at him. Cartoonz only shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just want a burrito, man, maybe some ice cream.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean… yeah I do now too, damn it </span>
  <b>Cartoonz</b>
  <span>.” Delirious’ voice kicked up in volume as he reached the end of the sentence in playful false irritation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A'ight lets get going then, snacks ain’t gonna buy themselves.” Rilla said, having peeled himself off the floor and composed himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, snacks on Delirious!” Anthony chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>What? Why me??</b>
  <span>” Delirious exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because your freezer is barren.” Anthony growled back, sounding like an indignant cat made human.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What were you doing in my freezer anyway?” Delirious demanded, returning to his unfinished question from before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looking for food...” Anthony replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... yeah that checks out.” Delirious sighed, hardly surprised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, we can use my discount.” Cartoonz promised as he sat up, gently patting Delirious on the shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you are an angel.” Delirious whispered back, the often unused softer tone sending a shiver up Cartoonz’s spine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz couldn’t quite find the right words to respond, turning just enough to catch Delirious’ eyes with his own but then too soon the moment was gone, everyone getting up and heading for the door. The rowdy energy returned to the group and Delirious’ attention was snatched away. Cartoonz tried not to dwell on words unsaid, falling into step with the rest as they piled out of the house with more noise than was probably polite at two in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that the neighborhood was unused to their antics at this point, really, what was an ungodly early saturday morning without them making some ruckus as they marched their way out to the twenty-four-seven gas station with Delirious shout-singing for somebody to dance with at the top of his lungs while Cartoonz wanted desperately to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> that somebody? Rilla kicked a can that looked like it’d been in the sun for months now, its label long since scratched away. A dog barked at them as they passed the house on the corner of the block, the angry Jack Russel terrier springing almost high enough to clear the fence as it did its best to sound like some fierce beast. Squirrel laughed, talking back to the less than imposing guard dog in a baby voice up until they’d crossed the street and he had to turn his back to it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Losers!” Someone shouted from a car as it drove by and Delirious stopped, mid song, spun around, flipped off the car and shouted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you too, Kyle!” Which, of course, left them all in another fit of laughter before they resumed their trek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before long the neons were in view across the highway and after waiting for a lone semi to rumble past they made their way towards their goal. Cartoonz couldn’t keep a grin from his face as Delirious drew in a breath on reaching the doors. On cue as he threw the doors open and stepped in he broke into the next song.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am your fire, your one desire, yes I know it’s too late, but I want it thaaaaat way!” Delirious was so far out of key it was almost criminal but it certainly announced their presence. Cartoonz couldn’t leave him hanging though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ain’t nothing but a heaaartaaache!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Telllll me why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ain’t nothin’ but a miiistaaake!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tell me why?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never wanna hear you saaay, I waaant it thaaaat waaay!!” Delirious couldn’t keep the shenanigan on any longer though, bursting into laughter after that line.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh look at the time, it’s idiot hour!” Jihi saught with a playful jab.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Delirious protested but she only laughed, glancing to Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Boss.” Jihi said, ignoring Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, you mind dropping the usual for us?” He requested with a glance at the near-empty hot-box.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, do- Anthony, I swear to god if you pull all those down again without putting the ones you don’t buy back I will strangle you with your own shoelaces.” Jihi threatened as she walked to the freezer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony froze, no less than sixteen packages of beef jerky in his hands that he’d just pulled off the peg, having been reaching for the freshest ones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I won’t stop her.” Cartoonz added, leaving Anthony to go a bit pale in the face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz glanced to the other side of the store, the rest of his friends being suspiciously quiet. However, they were huddled by the icy machine, apparently debating flavors, just not as loud as Delirious would normally do. He shrugged it off for now though as the sound of bubbling oil caught his attention. Already the frier was afroth with the first basket down, Jihi dumped the rest of their order into the other basket and dropped it down too, reaching for the timer on the vent hood above her head. She didn’t even have to look at it to set the right time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hear anything interesting today?” He asked, not expecting much considering how boring this tiny town could be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not much really, though that one creepy old house is empty again.” Jihi shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The one up the hill?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, the family passed through on their way out of town. Apparently, they hired some city slickers to try and deal with the haunting and they only made it worse. I think they are just getting worked up over something much easier to explain but I guess ghosts make for a better story.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> ghosts though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’d have to exist and that’d take some fairly solid proof. No, a bunch of faulty wiring and rats is all it is, mark my words.” She said with logical certainty. Already though the gears were turning in Cartoonz’s head, he glanced to the shelf of general items, disposable cameras in stock between the batteries and the scissors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, turning around also drew his attention past that to where Squirrel and Rilla were holding Delirious up in a laying position, his head under the spigots for icies and from the sound of it, drowning him in the slushy treat. Cartoonz wasn’t sure if Delirious was in the situation willingly or not… Either way he heard Jihi let out a long sigh behind him as she also noticed the three of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys there’s a new flavor of beef jerky sticks! No one told me!” Anthony shouted, oblivious to Delirious and the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly Cartoonz glanced back at Jihi, her shoulders tense as she pinched the bridge of her nose, looking entirely annoyed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Boss, control your boyfriend.” The annoyance in her tone promised a broom getting broken over Delirious in the near future if Cartoonz didn’t do something, however, he found himself hung up on her phrasing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He- we’re not…. I uh…” If he had a single functioning braincell it seemed to have abandoned him in that moment, heat rising to his cheeks instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence fell between them and Jihi arched a brow at him but then only shook her head, heeding the beeping of the timer instead. The noise was enough to get the attention of the group at the icy machine as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Food!” The three shouted in unison.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz managed to shake the surprised stupor, hoping his blush was not noticed before it faded. He watched his friends gather next to the chip display, peeking over the counter like a bunch of hungry seagulls ready to pounce. Jihi, unbothered, got the burritos into their paper wrappers, chicken bites into cardboard cups, and so on. There was a moment of watching before his friends peeled off to comb through the fridges and find drinks they wanted, Cartoonz did much the same, though he didn’t really care much what he got. He pulled a bottle from the nearest fridge, more distracted by Delirious loudly protesting the loss of his preferred limited-edition soda flavor in a recent competition launched by one of the big-wig soda companies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the sound of fridge doors falling closed they were all making their way back to the front, snacks and drinks piling up on the counter, Cartoonz nodded for Jihi to use his discount before Delirious moved to pay, grumbling at Anthony all the while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You guys go ahead, I’ll catch up.” Cartoonz said, earning him a few confused looks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright then…” Delirious said with an arched brow, grabbing Cartoonz’ drink for him on the way out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you up to?” Jihi asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t answer, pulling a few disposable cameras, flashlights, and batteries for said flashlights from the shelf. He returned with the items and she gave him a flat look, her question answering itself as she rang the items up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t get in trouble, please. I’m not bailing you out.” She sighed and he laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry so much, I’ll see you later.” He promised, grabbing the bag and hurrying off to catch up with the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily, they hadn’t gone further than the parking lot. Squirrel was standing on one of the pylons that dotted the parking spots in front of the building, Rilla and Anthony sitting on another one as Delirious passed out food from the bags.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here’s your goddamn chicken.” He was saying and Anthony snatched the cardboard carton up fast.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, change of plans guys.” Cartoonz grinned, accepting an offered burrito as he approached.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s weird, out of the norm. What you thinking Cartoonz?” Delirious demanded, his voice somewhere between suspicious and genuinely intrigued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haunted house, recently abandoned, let’s go check it out.” He explained, grinning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know about that…” Rilla said, leaning back a little, seeming to weigh if it was a wise idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jihi says she won’t believe it's haunted unless she sees proof.” Cartoonz went on, lifting the bag of supplies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re thinking of going looking for proof?” Delirious asked as he squished most the contents of a packet of taco sauce onto one bite worth of burrito.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s exactly it.” Cartoonz grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A'ight, I’m down.” Delirious shrugged before chowing down, something about his easy agreement made Cartoonz’s heart skip a beat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess if it’s for a good cause…” Rilla muttered, burrito wrapper crinkling as he adjusted it around his food.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have all of one deputy on duty tonight and this late? He’s probably sitting at a speed trap somewhere. We can get in, investigate, and get out before anyone knows we’re there.” Cartoonz assured him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ya know Cartoonz, you uh…” Delirious started, sounding that swooningly confident way at first… but he faltered, suddenly seeming at a lack of words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was unusual and Cartoonz tilted his head a little, waiting on Delirious to string the thought to words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You out here plotting to break the law like you’ve done it before… anything we should know?” He said teasingly but it felt oddly like he’d changed what he was going to say. Cartoonz shrugged, hiding the worry that Delirious might be a bit less accepting of the idea than he was letting on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He shot back in as mysterious a tone as he could manage, playing it off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned his attention more on his food, trying to shove aside any doubts. It stung more than a bit to think that perhaps Delirious might think less of him for this. He’d honestly thought it could be fun, he had no intentions of vandalism, no one was there… it wasn’t hurting anyone, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You find the meaning of life in that burrito or something?” Squirrel asked after a minute, breaking Cartoonz’s train of thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The man just likes his food, you know that.” Delirious reminded, wiggling a finger at Squirrel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah man, don’t get between me and my food.” Cartoonz said, quickly jumping on any excuse for his moment of perhaps being a little too readable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about we get moving?” Rilla asked, crumpling up a bag now laden with trash rather than food.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, let’s go.” Cartoonz nodded, fishing another burrito out of the bag Delirious was still holding, taking the moment of closeness to drop his voice and ask. “Are you good with this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course!” Delirious said, barely keeping to that soft whisper and as he looked up, he winked, sending Cartoonz’s heart into a frenzy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool.” Cartoonz smirked, praising whatever god existed for not letting his voice crack in that moment. He snatched his drink from under Delirious’s arm and stepped back out of his space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious shoved the last burrito into his mouth before balling up the other bag and throwing it to Anthony, who shoved it into the trash after the first. With that, they set out, turning a different direction than the one they’d come from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before their trek was uphill and the once-wealthy neighborhood was looming ahead like the bones of some dying civilization. The late-night air was clear and cool, quieter now that they were out of their usual area, though part of that could be attributed to the continued munching from most of them. Cartoonz glanced at Delirious as they walked, watching the way he carried himself, the casual hang of his shoulders, the comfortable rhythm of his footsteps. His hair a bit askew with his mask twisted to the side, that mask he was rarely without, his face even rarer to be seen. Cartoonz wasn’t sure why, his face was quite nice to look at, he wished he could see it more. Though he supposed he was lucky Delirious was comfortable enough around him to show his face at all. So few people got that opportunity it seemed. Cartoonz wished Delirious knew just how much he meant to him. Looking at him now, the way Cartoonz heart felt like a feral cat trapped in a cage, clawing away at walls that wouldn’t let it free. Held down by words Cartoonz couldn’t quite find the bravery to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such simple words…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet so hard to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe someday… they wouldn’t be unspoken words anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For now though…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced away, towards the house nestled near the top of the hill. The trees settled around it looking less lively than the rest, evidence of remodels being abandoned mid-project were evident the closer they got. New windows, old ones, half the roof covered in new shingles, scaffolding up against the walls. There was trash in the yard, some miscellaneous little things dropped in the driveway, clearly, the family really had left in a hurry. Something about the house struck something deep and primal, a chill in the spine, a twist in the gut, a sense to run. Something that made one’s breath shorten and heart pick up speed but not in the pleasant way like when he caught Delirious’ eyes. No, this was something else, something unsettling. It felt dangerous despite the memory of Jihi saying it was just bad wiring and rats. Cartoonz quickly found he wasn’t the only one who felt like that as they walked up the driveway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> sure about this Cartoonz? We could just go play more games, or call it a night, that’d be good too.” Rilla said, sounding uneasy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a chance there, an opening to back out, to jab at Rilla for being chicken, but despite the unease he felt, he couldn’t bring himself to cave. Not now. Not in front of Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah man, we can do this.” Cartoonz argued, heading around to try the front door itself. If they’d left in such a hurry maybe they’d forgotten to lock the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I mean, what’s the worst that could go wrong?” Delirious said, skipping along after. He didn’t seem the least bit bothered, more curious than anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much like Cartoonz had hoped, the door was unlocked, opening easily when he tried the knob. The door swung open to a hastily packed and emptied house, there were random items deemed unimportant left behind, furniture possibly sacrificed since it just wouldn’t fit. It gave the place an almost ransacked feel. The entry way and the living room were adjacent, there was the smell of fresh paint from somewhere in the house or perhaps it had been spilled. He didn’t go any further though, turning to the others and kneeling to go through the bag. He passed out cameras before loading flashlights, passing those around as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“These are cheap as shit.” Anthony grumbled as he flicked one on and off a couple of times.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you expect, they’re gas station stock.” Cartoonz said, giving him a flat look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wonder if the power is still on…” Squirrel muttered, heading for a light switch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude someone will notice if the lights come on!” Rilla snapped at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, good point.” Squirrel agreed, falling short of the switch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With everyone armed with flashlights and cameras, Cartoonz got back to his feet, pocketing the empty bag and battery cases, not that they’d be noticed amid the mess that the previous owners had left behind. Delirious took point, curiosity overriding any fear he might feel, Cartoonz quietly found himself glad for it, finding courage in the confidence the other presented, falling into step with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you ghost? SHOW YOURSELF!” Delirious shouted, chuckling at the end. Just as he glanced back at Cartoonz though, something flew through the air, pinging off Delirious’s mask with a plastic clatter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shit!” Rilla said from behind them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rilla did you throw that?” Delirious demanded as Cartoonz sent his flashlight beam in search of whatever the item had been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! I saw it fly though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a bright orange pill bottle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh great, the ghost is off its meds.” Squirrel said as Anthony went to pick the bottle up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, dude this is empty, the ghost is </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span> its meds.” The other countered, looking back at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the name on the bottle, maybe it did belong to the ghost.” Delirious suggested, going over to investigate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Husband, Corpse.” Anthony read.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s not an ominous name or anything.” Squirrel muttered, scanning his light along where the bottle might have come from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, at least we know Mr. Husband is a very sane ghost.” Delirious said, as if trying to be politer now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, that’s better than a not sane ghost, right?” Anthony asked, stepping a little closer to Rilla.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should fucking hope so.” Rilla replied and though not a single one of them took another step, the sound of footsteps trailing out of the room could be heard clear as day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should we… follow him?” Squirrel asked, sounding a bit tense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, let’s see where he goes.” Delirious said, even more enthusiastic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound faded but it had been enough for a little direction, there was a doorway into a hallway at the other end of the living room and that was the direction Delirious headed so Cartoonz fell into step with him. Their flashlights were weak but at least with combined beams they had a little bit more visibility. The house had an odd maze-like quality, Cartoonz was already starting to realize as they walked down the hall, not set up in an entirely logical manner. As they walked the air felt as if it grew colder, it felt heavier, darker. Motion caught his eye and, glancing over, he noticed Delirious’s earlier confidence seeming to slip a little as a hand went up to slowly shift his mask back over his face. Looking back to the half-painted, uncarpeted hallway each door was closed. Squirrel stepped past to open one on the left side of the hall. From what Cartoonz could see the room was empty, abandoned like the rest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then the door slammed shut, swinging hard enough to actually knock Squirrel back a step. An inhuman sound accompanied the slam, somewhere between a woman shrieking and a demonic growl. Whatever it was left them all running, Cartoonz’s heart in his throat, jogging hard at Delirious’ side as they bolted down the hall, following another bend then bursting through a door without thinking about where it led left them both standing in a recently redone bathroom. White tile glistened almost too bright in the dim glow of their flashlights. It was only once they reached that room, a dead end, with no one crashing in behind them, that they turned around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony, Rilla and Squirrel were nowhere to be seen. However, there was a form at the other end of the hall, just barely caught in the light of the flashlight, too shadowy to make out any details. Both his and Delirious’s flashlights started to flicker and Cartoonz slammed the door shut hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re gonna die, this is it </span>
  <b>Toonz we're gonna die.</b>
  <span>” Delirious said, the tone that usually carried a lot of volume squished to something whispered by fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Delirious! Don’t panic just… just hide.” Cartoonz said, his own voice betraying his fear with the way it shook.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly he looked around before grabbing Delirious by the arm and dragging him into the bathtub, drawing the opaque curtain closed as if that would somehow hide them. Delirious didn’t argue, shivering a little as he leaned into Cartoonz. Part of him really wished he could savor the closeness, wished he was brave enough to wrap an arm around the shorter man, but fear left him paralyzed in place. He could hear his heart racing in his ears, so loud he almost missed the heavy footfalls drawing ever nearer to the door. Nearer…. Nearer…. Louder… louder....</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood tense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious frozen beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just before Cartoonz could dare draw in another breath the silence broke with an earsplitting wail, a scream so loud it shook his very bones, sharp and shrill, he cringed against it. The horrific sound was accompanied by another, though it was just another layer of noise, something not as sharp though its cause was certainly not dull. Shards of mirror assailed the shower curtain, pelting off and raining to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, as abruptly as it started, it stopped. The flickering of their flashlights gave way to steady beams again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz let out a shaky breath, watching as it fogged the air. He wasn’t sure if the subtle shaking of his body was from fear or the sudden absolutely freezing temperature, perhaps it was both. Either way he could feel Delirious shaking just as badly beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You… you okay?” Cartoonz asked, his words faint in his own ears, a ringing still holding them in the wake of that keening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…. Good thinking with the shower…” Delirious huffed, glancing up at Cartoonz. His eyes were hard to read in the dark but something must have caught his attention the way he lifted his flashlight to shine on Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… Shit, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything that loud before.” Cartoonz admitted, wondering if the ringing would stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The… mirror? I mean that was loud but that bad..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You… didn’t hear the scream?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No… No, Toonz your ears are bleeding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Cartoonz reached up, touching the area below his ear and sure enough, it was sticky wet. He recoiled his hand, inspecting it in the weak glow and the red that glimmered there not lying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck was that? Did the glass get you?” Delirious asked, raising his flashlight higher and standing on his tiptoes to inspect him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz held still, letting Delirious look even though he was fairly certain that wasn’t the case. His eyes wandered the mostly dark room, half-obscured by the glare of Delirious’ flashlight in his face. After a moment though, the other lowered his light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I don’t see any cuts. Cartoonz uh, maybe we should get out of here?” Delirious stated shakily and Cartoonz nodded slowly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah-” He was about to say more but his words were lost in the wake of a most certainly manly scream somewhere above them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was Squirrel.” Delirious noted, glancing at the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Squirrel do I look like a fucking tree to you?</b>
  <span>” And that had been Rilla, his voice higher pitched than normal with fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Together they stumbled out of the tub, crunching glass under their converse as they made their way to the door. Cartoonz didn’t hesitate to push it open, the possibility of the ghost still being on the other side only hit him after he’d opened it. Luckily though, there was nothing there now. The hall was empty. He broke into a run beside Delirious, backtracking the way they’d come, the front door in sight beside the stairs. The door was shut, which wasn’t how he’d left it but perhaps one of the others had closed it. Delirious caught the rail with his hand, using it to pivot and dart up the stairs, Cartoonz was close on his heels.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The upstairs was no less of a maze but no sooner had they reached it, their flashlights started flickering again. Another scream from one of their friends was accompanied by running footsteps, the air growing cold again. Cartoonz passed his less than helpful light up and down the hall, hoping for any clear direction the ghost might be, while he saw nothing he felt a chill sensation on the back of his neck, like someone breathing on him… but cold. That was all too quickly followed by a voice so deep and graveled it couldn’t be anyone in their group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Run.” Was all it said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz didn’t argue, grabbing Delirious by the wrist and breaking into another run, darting down a long hall, a direction he could hear Anthony shouting from. They all but crashed into him, the three stumbling to a stop, a stop Cartoonz felt was far from good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <b>hell</b>
  <span> is going on!?” Delirious cried, Cartoonz wished he had an answer, but as that shadowy form appeared again, just over Anthony’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz sacrificed his flashlight, letting it clatter to the floor in favor of grabbing his friend, hauling ass back towards the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Squirrel, Rilla, the fuck you at?” Anthony yelled, stumbling as he tried to keep up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if in reply there came a scream from somewhere further ahead, Cartoonz booked it that way, darting through a room to another hall. All the while there were heavy footsteps trailing along behind them, cold biting so harshly it threatened to leave frost in its wake. They were halfway down the hall when Rilla stumbled out of a room ahead of them, Squirrel slung over one shoulder, clinging desperately to Rilla. Cartoonz stumbled to a stop beside them, letting go of Anthony and Delirious, spinning to see if the ghost was still pursuing them. In the flickering of someone else’s flashlight, he could make out the form of a ragged-looking woman, her form flickering slower then faster than the lights around her, her colors vanishing and returning infrequently, walking with a menacing purpose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shit, </span>
  <b>oh shit.</b>
  <span>” Rilla’s voice filled the air, Cartoonz feeling rooted in place as the ghost stalked closer, only the room Rilla and Squirrel had come from open to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz screamed at his legs to move again, yet they didn’t respond, he was frozen, silent, left to watch. To watch as the woman drew closer, her mouth falling open, her jaw stretching unnaturally, her mouth far too wide, he knew that horrid scream was coming, he felt like he couldn’t breathe, he…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt his blood run cold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was there, in a blink, right there, hands reaching for his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Toonz!</b>
  <span>” Delirious’s voice cut through the haze and shattered the trance just like glass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz lurched back, stumbling and falling on his ass. He watched the visible confusion on the dead woman’s face as she stared where his face had been only moments before. Slowly, eerily, she looked down. Her empty pits for eyes locking onto him again. She started to move but out of nowhere, a pair of shadowy hands took her by the shoulders, wrenching her away. Both figures vanishing from sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So uh… I think there’s two ghosts.” Rilla breathed quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… and Mr. Husband’s on our side. I think.” Delirious noted, right at Cartoonz’s side still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyone happen to get a picture?” Cartoonz asked, trying to calm back down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s okay, let’s just get out of here while we have a chance.” Cartoonz said, getting back to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good fucking idea.” Rilla agreed, the group moving in unison back towards the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t nearly as cold as it had been just moments before and Cartoonz took that as a good sign the more violent ghost was nowhere around. He was more than fine with that, taking the stairs three at a time on the way and skipping the last few. He all but slammed into the door, bouncing off as he grabbed the nob. He stepped back, twisting and pulling but his hand slipped off the knob as it refused to budge. The door wasn’t locked… he reached for it again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Again it wouldn’t budge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That ain’t funny, Toonz.” Anthony snapped, more than a little on edge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It isn’t a joke!” Cartoonz protested, moving to one of the windows to try and open instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The window wouldn’t budge either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he was quite ready to give up there came a loud thud, the whole wall trembling under the force of a blow. Looking back to the door he saw Rilla line up, charging the door again and hitting it hard. Again, it trembled but nothing budged, nothing opened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What… the fuck.” Squirrel whispered, Anthony and Delrious both moving to try other windows, those didn’t budge either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony scooped up a kitchen chair, swinging hard at one of the windows but the chair only bounced off the glass, crashing back into him and knocking him over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, you okay?” Rilla asked, rubbing his own shoulder as he went to check on Anthony.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re trapped, </span>
  <b>we’re fucking trapped.</b>
  <span>” Anthony stated, shaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The room grew cold, as sudden as before and Cartoonz already know what was coming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry guys… this is my fault.” He admitted, stomach twisting at the thought of that hag hurting any of his friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not like you knew what would happen.” Delirious said, his voice going to that soft, so often unused tone for the second time that night. It made Cartoonz’s heart do a little flip in his chest, even if it came with a pang of guilt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t deserve that kind of forgiveness… especially if anything happened to any of them. He met Delirious’s eyes, a twist in his heart, something in the air between them… words he couldn’t speak. Words he wanted to say. So badly, he wished to and in the face of something so truly terrifying…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He still couldn’t find the courage to voice his feelings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flashlights started flickering again and the single word that fell from his lips was not the one burning in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it was a logical one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Run.” The word spilled into the air, carried on the fog of his breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A look of fear filled Delirious’s eyes but he did, in fact, turn to run. Cartoonz let out a slow breath as everyone started moving, the flickering lights almost disorienting, vanishing to reappear in a new place. Amid the chaos she appeared, in the middle of the room, watching one of his friends as they ran from the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey bitch! Over here!” Cartoonz shouted and her head snapped towards him so fast it would have snapped a living person’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cold fear coursed through him, his heartbeat roaring in his ears, and a low, unnatural groan rolled out from the ghost. Slowly the woman stalked towards him, mouth stretching open, eyes dead white, hands reaching up for his throat. He took an instinctive step back only to feel the cool surface of the window press against his back, nowhere to go. If he’d thought the room was cold then the feeling of her hands closing around his throat was like getting plunged into a frozen lake. He gasped, already the air was interrupted, in far too short of supply. He grasped at her hands but his hands passed right through them, his nails scratching against his chilled skin. That cold spilled through him, sapping his strength, fogging his mind. He felt his body almost numbly sink to the floor, shivering against the sudden, intense cold that was flooding him. The already dark room was growing darker, leaving only the piercing gaze of those white eyes…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You suck at running.” That intensely deep voice from before stated, a tall figure just barely came into view behind the first ghost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A set of hands appeared from the darkness, taking hold of her forearms and forcing them away from Cartoonz. He coughed and choked, gasping for desperately needed air as tears stung his eyes. He still shivered but managed to wiggle away, leaning against the wall. The tall figure blinked in and out of sight much like the woman did, not always in time, sometimes he’d see one and not the other. The man was tall, very tall, unlike the woman he didn’t look as ghastly, he was actually… quite handsome. Not that he could see the man’s face that well, between the darkness and the obstruction of a partial mask.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two ghosts wrestled back and forth, the woman let out another earsplitting screech. The sound hit Cartoonz like a truck, his ears ringing and the room spinning. His body was wracked with shivers, warmth was a long distant memory. He could hear something else cutting through the noise, though that ringing was beginning to fade. He couldn’t quite make out what the sound was or the source, it was something far too deep to make out. Trying to shake the dizziness aside, trying to follow the source of the sound, he looked back to the wrestling ghosts just in time to see the woman lunging for him again. There wasn’t time to try and dodge, to try and get away, he was trapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cold hit his face, like nails of ice caught in a hurricane.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pain filled his consciousness, a blinding, agonizing pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could hear screaming…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere it settled in his mind that that scream…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was torn from his own throat.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Depth Perception</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the pain faded to something more manageable both ghosts were gone. Cartoonz was still chilled to the bone, even in the dark he realized he could only see out of one eye, the worst of the pain rolled out from the other and his body trembled as he struggled not to cry out. Slowly he tried to bring himself to his feet, the sounds of running footsteps were closing in on him. His body was shaking too hard to even tense up, his heart already racing painfully. One shaky step, then another and he was headed towards the sounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cartoonz!” Delirious’ voice rang out, shattering the quiet of the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure he’s still </span>
  <b>
    <em>alive?!</em>
  </b>
  <span>” Rilla asked, still so on edge and Cartoonz couldn’t blame him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious came running, catching Cartoonz’s hands in his, a look of panic in those striking blue eyes behind his mask. Panic sank into a sort of horror, a mute horror which in and of itself struck a deeper fear in Cartoonz that it must be worse than he’d realized. A long silence stretched out between them before Delirious seemed to finally shake the shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>WHAT THE FUCK!? </em>
  </b>
  <span>Cartoonz… </span>
  <b>your eye! It’s, it’s...</b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-is it bad? I… It hurts and I can’t see.” He admitted quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>I’d fucking think so, it’s fucking </b>
  <b>
    <em>gone</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
  <span>” Anthony shouted with no shortage of panic in his own voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gone…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eye was </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drew in a long, slow, shaky breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That explains it…” He admitted quietly, Delirious gave his hands a squeeze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We just have to find a way out, there has to be a way out.” Squirrel said, his voice tense and shaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If there </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a way out.” Rilla muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We just need to keep moving, she can’t catch you if you run away.” Cartoonz offered, sagging heavily against Delirious when he wrapped an arm around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not doing that great...” Delirious noted, likely able to feel the chill that was so slow to fade.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… well now we know she can actually cause damage.” Cartoonz shrugged, as if the wounds he’d endured had somehow been worth that information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you’re not dead.” Anthony noted as they started moving down the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our ghost friend is to thank for that, he pulled her off me. We’d be screwed if not for that guy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad we have one on our side… was there always a dress form there?” Rilla asked, freezing, Cartoonz looked past him, his one eye struggling to make out the headless, human shape down the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think that was there earlier…” Anthony confirmed, taking a cautious step back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Accompanied by the sound of wood dragging on wood, the mannequin scooted a few inches, all on its own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>NOPE</b>
  <span>” was said in unison by several of them before everyone turned to run, jogging back down the hall back the way they’d come. They cut through the living room once again, darting up the stairs as the scraping sound continued with more intensity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rilla stumbled on one of the steps and the sound of his footfalls altered slightly, though Cartoonz couldn’t quite tell why. They stumbled one way down the hall at the top of the stairs and came to a stop in a mostly empty room. Cartoonz glanced around the group, again leaning on Delirious, still trembling despite having finally warmed up. Delirious led him over to an old wooden trunk against one wall where Cartoonz could sit down and he didn’t argue, sagging against the wall. He didn’t want to let go of Delirious fully, his heart sank as the other started to pull away but then fluttered a bit when Delirious trailed a hand down one arm. Ever so gently Delirious took his hand, smoothing a thumb over the back of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… lost my fucking shoe.” Rilla grumbled, glancing around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With the amount of shit on the floors, we should probably go find it…” Squirrel noted, shining his light back out the doorway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toonz you… you good to keep moving? You don’t look so good.” Delirious said softly, kneeling beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz met his gaze, as awkward as it felt with his perception of depth skewed. He felt his words catch in his throat, the things he wanted to say did not have anything to do with the question. He was in pain, he was afraid... so he said nothing, instead offering as confident a smile as he could. In hindsight, it probably looked more like a grimace. Delirious studied his face a moment before standing again, turning to the others but not letting Cartoonz’s hand slip from his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You three stick together and meet back here after you find it. I’ll stay with him, he needs to rest.” Delirious stated, speaking quickly but with a tone of certainty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if that ghost comes back?” Anthony asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll bolt again, as long as we’re running she can’t catch us after all. It always gets cold before she shows up, that’s the sign to get the fuck out of dodge.” He explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your friends should really stop cursing, Barbara doesn’t like it.” That deep gravelly voice whispered in Cartoonz’s ear, causing him to jump a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You okay?” Delirious asked, turning fast at the jolt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch your mouths, bad language makes her worse.” Cartoonz croaked, his own weakened state sinking into reality as the adrenaline faded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rilla let out a growl that was more than likely a curse he had to force himself not to speak. Together the three slipped from the room, most of the light going with them, leaving him and Delirious alone yet again. He honestly didn’t mind, Delirious was his favorite company, perhaps on some selfish level, he was glad to have the man at his side while he was in such rough shape. Part of him still longed for more, wanting to reach over and run his fingers through Delirious’ soft looking hair, to sink into his arms and just let the weariness take him. His body felt sapped of every scrap of strength and he just wanted to know the comfort of the other’s embrace, to sink into the couch together while the room was filled with the noise of the others playing games. He wanted to hear Jihi trash talk at them as the round carried on, to hear them laugh and tease each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toonz? Hey hey hey! </span>
  <b>Cartoonz hold on!</b>
  <span>” A panic filled, steadily louder Delirious voice snapped Cartoonz back to the present.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m… here.” He offered, his voice betraying just how tired and weak he felt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Behind the mask he saw Delirious’ eyes narrow, filled with worry as they were. Once again he felt something hang in the air between them, a hesitation, words needing said yet… only silence carried in the air. Delirious drew in a stuttered breath, a string of half started words falling from him as he tried to find what he wanted to say. Cartoonz waited patiently, he couldn’t do much else even if he wanted anyway. Delirious fell entirely silent after a moment, staring hard at the wall past Cartoonz’s shoulder, finally, with a steadying breath he met Cartoonz’s gaze again. It was in that motion Cartoonz caught the faint glimmer of tears rimming Delirious’s eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cartoonz… I’m worried about you. I… I… I’m…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Why the fuck is there a bar of </b>
  <b>
    <em>soap</em>
  </b>
  <b> in my shoe?!?!</b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span> Rilla’s voice rolled through the silent house, causing both to jump.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Delirious…” Cartoonz spoke up in the silent wake of that outburst, one that marked them not being alone together much longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious looked back to him and ever so gently, with a trembling hand, Cartoonz reached up, slipping his thumb under one side of Delirious’ mask to wipe the tears away. Delirious’ eyes went wide as he realized he’d been caught crying but Cartoonz held no judgement in his expression, only warmth in the face of pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, I want to tell you even more now. But… words are… it’s hard to find the right ones.” He sighed, still somehow managing to leave them unspoken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious moved forward a bit, resting a hand over Cartoonz’s, resting their foreheads together. Closing his eyes as he let the moment carry on. He drew in a breath to say something more but the door to the room opened again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe he thinks I </span>
  <em>
    <span>smell</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Rilla ranted on the way in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just your shoes.” Anthony offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh… did we interrupt?” Squirrel asked, apparently the first one to spot the position Delirious and Cartoonz were in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? No, you didn’t interrupt anything.” Delirious scrambled, retreating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz would be lying if he said his heart hadn’t broken a little in that moment. Still, he brushed it aside, the time had slipped away like sand between his fingers once more. No matter how badly his heart ached, no matter how badly he wished to yank Delirious back into his space, to gently slide that mask aside and finally learn what Delirious’ lips would feel like against his own. To have no other explanation but that for those unspoken words, presence of the others be damned. Let them see, they’d find out eventually anyway. But that chance, too… slipped away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what’s this about Rilla smelling?” Delirious asked, changing the subject, even his hand slipping away from Cartoonz, that loss of contact stinging like a snake’s bite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Corpse put a bar of soap in his shoe and then when I asked if his shoes stunk that bar of soap went flying at Rilla, it was hilarious.” Anthony laughed, though the sound was cut short by a loud, wood on wood thud followed by the light in the room clicking on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz didn’t miss the way Squirrel flinched when light likely made the wounds look all the more gruesome. Looking towards the source of the sound there were four dress forms firmly standing in the doorway, blocking it. The room wasn’t cold though, so even though the others seemed spooked he couldn’t bring himself to have the energy to be afraid. What came next was a quiet scratching sound from inside the trunk Cartoonz was sitting on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slower than he’d have liked, Cartoonz rose back to his feet, turning to regard the old wooden trunk. His friends crowded in around him, providing light. Delirious knelt, opening it up, inside was a ouija board and its planchet, nothing else. Reaching in and taking it out, Delirious closed the lid of the trunk back before placing the board atop it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d ask if we should be fu- messing with that but I know you’re just going to do it anyway.” Rilla noted flatly, shaking his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The house is already haunted, besides, the bad ghost isn’t nearby I don’t think. We might as well see if our friend has anything to say.” Delirious reasoned, placing his finger on the planchet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a soft sigh, Cartoonz shrugged then followed suit. Squirrel joined them while Anthony and Rilla stayed back a step. All three of them kept their touch on the little wooden piece light, waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you Corpse?” Delirious asked once they were settled. Almost instantly the piece started to move, almost leaving their hands behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you live here?” Squirrel asked and quickly the planchet slid back across the board.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you die here?” Cartoonz asked, curious. Again the planchet slid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you killed by the cold ghost?” Cartoonz continued and the planchette slid away and back again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are there different kinds of ghosts?” Anthony asked from behind them and surprisingly enough, the planchet still responded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is the cold ghost?” Delirious asked, sounding curious now. This time the planchet started gliding over the letters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘B A N S H E E.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz recoiled his hand as if he’d been bit. A sinking feeling in his gut, his blood ran cold as everything fell into place. He’d heard the legend about banshees before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toonz? You okay?” Delirious asked, turning to check on him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why… only I heard her scream.” He said slowly, not wanting to voice where that realization had led him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the way Delirious went completely still, he guessed the other pieced it together as well. There was a sour sort of silence that followed that, of the fear, the denial of those around him. Looking down at his own trembling hands however, Cartoonz was fairly sure he had one foot in the grave already… or perhaps one eye as it were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No… </span>
  <b>No!</b>
  <span> I refuse to believe that I </span>
  <b>refuse!</b>
  <span>” Delirious declared, standing and backing away several steps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe the legends aren’t as on point as they sound, Cartoonz is still alive and he’s been attacked already.” Anthony pointed out, his voice a cool sort of calm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think there is any use in false hope right now.” Cartoonz said quietly, almost disturbed at his own acceptance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t help that though, it felt like a cloud of doom that had been circling him since he’d entered this place. One he hadn’t identified until now. The crushing reality of it felt like it was stealing the air from his very lungs. He closed his eyes and part of him wondered if his constant hesitations for telling Delirious how he felt was for the other’s own protection. It would hurt to lose a friend… but at least he wouldn’t be losing anything more than that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just a friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, guys?” Squirrel said, his tone nervous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The temperature was dropping…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flashlights were flickering…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Run, I’ll keep her distracted as long as I can. Maybe if she finishes the job she’ll be satisfied enough to let you guys leave.” Cartoonz suggested, trying hard to force his tone level but there was a quiver of fear he had to hope no one heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Bullshit.</b>
  <span>” Delirious snapped, turning sharply and grabbing Cartoonz by the shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz blinked in surprise, suddenly he was hoisted from his knees and slammed back into the wall. Delirious pinned him there, leaning in imposingly. There was an intensity to his eyes, like a fire just doused in gasoline. His shoulders tensed, his fists shaking, he pressed his forehead to Cartoonz’s again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you </span>
  <b>
    <em>dare</em>
  </b>
  <b> give up.</b>
  <span> I will not stand idly by and let you just sacrifice yourself for </span>
  <b>no fucking reason.</b>
  <span> This isn’t over and you’re not throwing in the towel </span>
  <em>
    <span>now.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Do you understand me?” Delirious snarled, more serious, more intense than Cartoonz had ever heard. There was a gravity to him, an aura of absolute defiance of fate. In that moment Cartoonz was certain Delirious would have fought a god if he’d had to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I won’t.” He promised, his breath fogging the air, clouding around Delirious’ face like a fog.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool, now that you’ve hashed that out let’s fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>run.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Rilla snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz wasn’t quite sure about the way his heart had lurched and gone all aflutter at Delirious’ determination. He let Delirious drag him now, following their friends closely, the dress forms had moved again, simply out of the way this time. Through the maze of a house they went, flashlights flickering. Running away from the cold itself, there was a slight relief in seeing his breath stop fogging the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that it lasted for long, all too soon they’d stumbled right into her area, or perhaps she’d caught them. Cartoonz saw a flash, then another, different from the rest, accompanied by click sounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cameras.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, at least maybe they’d have some proof.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was why they’d come in the first place, wasn’t it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or perhaps, in truth, the chance to do something different, something new, might have granted an opportunity to finally admit his feelings. He couldn’t deny those chances had existed… but he’d let them all slip away. In the end, whether he survived or not, he realized how much of a fool he’d been. He’d put them all in danger and he’d still been too afraid to let the words fall forth. If he couldn’t say it when his very life was hanging in the balance, then would he ever?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was starting to think…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were running again, hard, back the way they’d come, he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. It was so very cold. He felt like a dead weight Delirious was dragging along, his body ready to drop. With the way that Delirious glanced back at him, it seemed likely he could tell as much. Down the stairs they went, the temperature dropping again the further away they got. Even so, though, Cartoonz was shaking harder after as much as they had run, stumbling more than a few times as he tried desperately to keep pace with Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They came to a stop in the kitchen, Squirrel hurriedly closed the door after them. Stopping suddenly left Cartoonz swaying, the world spinning, and if not for Delirious catching his other arm and holding him steady he was sure he’d have fallen flat on his face. It took a moment for him to register that their lights were still blinking, they weren’t out of the woods yet. Delirious held him steady, catching his gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Breathe.” He reminded, worry forged to something a little more firm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shakily, he did as instructed, glancing at the door, though Rilla and Squirrel stood between him and said door. Anthony was fussing with his flashlight, it had gone entirely dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toonz, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Toonz,</span>
  </em>
  <span> look at me.” Delirious said, drawing Cartoonz’s gaze back to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He held Delirious’ gaze as he tried to catch his breath. Delirious was breathing hard too, so were the others, they’d all needed to stop for a moment. Silence stretched on around them, the only thing to note the passage of time being the count of flashes. Then, finally, after what felt like a century, the flashing stopped. Cartoonz let out a long, relieved sigh, leaning forward to rest his face against Delirious’ shoulder, careful to keep the injured side off of the other man’s clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like we’re good for now.” Anthony said, the sound of cabinets and drawers being rifled through reaching Cartoonz’s ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but no telling how long that will last.” Squirrel sighed, joining Anthony in the exploration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, a hand settled against Cartoonz’s back, it was Rilla.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How you two holding up over here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re alive, we all are, that’s what matters.” Delirious stated, that same firm tone holding strong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The room is kinda spinning and I don’t know if I can run again.” Cartoonz admitted, mentally taking stock of himself and knowing he was holding them back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s okay, one of us will carry you if we have to.” Rilla assured him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere in the kitchen, he heard water running, the squelching sound of a chunk of fabric getting wrung out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here.” Anthony said from nearby after the sink was shut off again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect, Toonz, lift your head?” Delirious asked gently and Cartoonz slowly did so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a clean kitchen towel in Delirious’ hand, wetted down. With a nod to Rilla who lifted his flashlight where it shined on Cartoonz’s face, Delirious gently brought the towel up. Gingerly scrubbing away the dried blood that felt like it was everywhere at this point. Cartoonz melted under the gentle touch, the slightly rough cloth scrubbing away the crusted blood easily enough. Delirious got all the more gentle the nearer he dared get to the wound and winced a little as he inspected the wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going straight to the hospital when we get out of here.” Delirious informed him, no room for argument left in his tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not sure I can do anything ‘straight’ but I’ll go.” Cartoonz muttered without considering the words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He froze afterwards though, eye going wide to watch Delirious for a response. His breath caught in his throat but there was a sparkle to those beautiful blue eyes and Delirious laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fair enough.” He said, pulling one hand away to move his mask off of his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed like he needed a better view of what he was doing as he continued cleaning the blood away, yet, he was also so much closer. Cartoonz could feel heat rising to his cheeks and there was no doubt Delirious could see it. His expression softened a bit further, pausing in his work to meet Cartoonz’s gaze. Delirious leaned in a bit closer, as if in invitation and Cartoonz’s heart felt like it was about to jump right out of his chest, yet before he could close that distance between them…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light cut out, the beginning of another span of flashing. The towel felt cold against his face, his and Delirious’ breath mixed in a fog that danced between them. Delirious turned away, cursing under his breath as he pulled Cartoonz towards the door at the other end of the room. Cartoonz did his best to keep up but with the cold already assailing him he found his shaking body difficult to make cooperate. The cold only increased, absolutely freezing in a blink. The low groaning sound reached his ears, his heart began to race. Through the door at the other end of the room was a laundry room from the look of it, though there were no appliances left. It was a dead end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck…” Delirious muttered before putting himself between the ghost and Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t…” Cartoonz protested but the other three joined him, forming a semi-circle around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t have him!” Delirious snapped as she stalked closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz could only watch as she came closer still, her mouth dropping open, her dead eyes locking onto his one remaining one. He gritted his teeth, his heart racing so hard it physically hurt. He stared unblinkingly at the approaching ghost, from over Delirious’ shoulder. His friends backed up to close the circle tighter. It didn’t seem like she was going to stop, that was, until she vanished suddenly. She was gone from sight but their lights were still flashing, that…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Couldn’t be good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did she go?” Squirrel asked, running his flashlight beam, blinking as it was, up and down the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was too late then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew as soon as he felt those cold hands wrap around his throat from behind. The grip was crushing, lifting him right off of the floor as the cold flowed through him even faster than before. He managed to make a choked sound, causing everyone to spin in unison, their expressions morphing to ones of horror, and Delirious’ from that to outrage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let him </span>
  <b>go you </b>
  <b>
    <em>bitch</em>
  </b>
  <b>!</b>
  <span>” He snapped, reaching out to try and pull Cartoonz free.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That, however, made things worse, as his friends tried to wrench him from the incorporeal grip they only caused it to tighten down, the airflow further stolen away, causing him in turn to choke. He could feel warm blood stinging as it spilled over his frigid lips. He clawed at the hands crushing him helplessly. His vision started to falter, wavering between the flashing lights and something… something else. It was lighter, yet hazy, drenched in blue, desaturated. Behind Delirious he could see a tall figure running towards them in that blue haze, but in the flashes of normal vision, it was too dark. His lungs burned, screamed for air, his head spinning as chances of escape grew slimmer and slimmer…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tall figure, the man from before, in those blinks of blue haze, he was handsome, so serious looking…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was right there…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next thing Cartoonz knew he was falling, caught in the waiting arms of Delirious and the others. His vision still wavering back and forth, it was almost nauseating. Gently they laid him on his back, as he coughed and wheezed, unable to draw a proper breath through how hard he was shivering. The lights had stopped flashing, the woman ghost was gone, but in the flashes of blue he could still see the tall man, who knelt beside him. In those moments where he was visible, he was much more clear than the living present.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s freezing.” Someone said, someone else shouted his name but their voices were blurring together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cartoonz, Cartoonz you hold on, okay? It’s going to be okay, don’t leave us.” Delirious… he sounded so panicked, so upset.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He fought hard, trying to catch Delirious’ gaze desperate to hold it as long as he could. He fought to draw in a breath, to find the strength to say anything, even if it was goodbye…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But in the end that joined the words left unspoken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All at once his fragmented strength abandoned him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The darkness, the blueness, the haze, it all spun into an abyss of nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing at all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am having way too much fun eheh, poor Cartoonz... but will Barbara Martin change targets? Or will she come after him again? Hard to say~</p>
<p>As always I love comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Blue Realm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Unfortunate.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Corpse thought to himself as the man they called Cartoonz continued to fade. So he waited, kneeling next to the dying body, waiting to be joined by the admittedly handsome, if a bit battered man. Yet… he didn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The moments ticked on and Corpse watched as the rest of the group scrambled to do anything they could. Clothes were pulled away, Delirious settled onto the floor, Cartoonz held tight in his arms, wrapped with the loose jackets that the others had also shed. It seemed any potential danger to the rest of them had been forgotten, their entire focus on trying to save their friend from the hypothermia that would claim him the same as it had Corpse himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smile tugged at the edge of his lips, so this was why he’d liked these idiots the moment they’d walked in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still… They were trapped here until sunrise, Cartoonz might not last that long. He stood, crossing the kitchen to peer out an east-facing window. It was still dark out there. In this form, he really had no concept of time aside from day and night. Minutes, hours, days… they’d meant nothing since his life had been stolen from him by Barbara. Cornered with nowhere to run, too inexperienced to fully know what he could have done in that moment. He’d died, strangled and freezing, alone, disappointed more than afraid. He’d come to this place with the intention of finding out what she was and helping her move on. Instead, he’d lost his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a shake of his head, he crossed back to where Delirious and Cartoonz were huddled, sitting there beside them. While the ghost that had killed him was plagued with bitterness, a murderer who’d lost all form of humanity, who could project fear, cold, and dread just by being present, Corpse had figured out how the ability worked. So while he could, by all rights, make the air heavy, leave a crawling sensation of unease… that’s not what he chose to do. Because he still remembered his humanity, he still remembered what it had been like as he laid there dying and he didn’t wish that on anyone. So instead he projected what he’d desperately wished for in his final moments.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Comfort, warmth, closeness. He couldn’t actually help warm the freezing man up, but he could offer something kinder to help drown out the fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped it helped, it was something at least, wasn’t it? He watched the way Delirious held Cartoonz close, desperately so, careful of the wound on his face, one arm rubbing along Cartoonz’s arm and back. Anthony was sat on the floor as well, rubbing Cartoonz’s legs, a team effort to try and keep his blood flowing, to warm the unconscious man up. There were tears streaking Delirious’ face, the other three looking grim, silent as the grave. Was there hope? Could he survive? Corpse wasn’t sure, but perhaps a bit of information might help the others. He leaned close to Delirious, towards the shoulder opposite of where Cartoonz’s head was rested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Escape at dawn.” He whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took effort to do that, but it was worth it. Especially with the way Delirious’ face lit up, telling the others what he’d heard. They all perked up, Squirrel looking at his watch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s… that’s not that far from now.” Squirrel’s voice held a note of hope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re gonna get out of here, Cartoonz, just hang in there.” Delirious said, resting his head against Cartoonz’s, it was adorable really.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse found himself wishing it was easier to communicate, or that one of them had brought the Ouija board along. Alas, they had not and he didn’t have a great amount of energy to spend on idle chatter. Not with a violent, mindlessly cruel ghost to drag away from the living at every turn. Warily he kept an eye on the flashlights carried by the others, knowing that’d be the easiest sign for him to spot if she started hunting again. He really had no way to tell how long it was before one of those present, Rilla, spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think the cool ghost is still around?” He asked, drawing Corpse’s attention to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think so. He’s got a different feeling from the other.” Delirious noted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse stood, glancing around the kitchen, and on seeing an abandoned, half-empty box of cereal he picked it up and threw it to Rilla’s feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There he is!” Delirious said, though there was a lot less energy to the cheerful tone than Corpse had noticed before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you mind being in a picture with some of us?” Rilla asked, glancing the direction the box had come from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a small shrug to himself, Corpse headed over, lifting and dropping the box again, hoping that’d suffice as a yes, and stood beside Rilla. Squirrel joined him and Corpse positioned himself between them, looking over Squirrel’s shoulder and holding bunny ears behind both their heads, a smirk filling his features, though the mask would hide most of his face. Rilla pulled a camera from his pocket, holding it facing the group of them, snapping a shot. The flash of light wasn’t as bright as Corpse remembered camera flashes being. He wasn’t entirely sure if he’d show up in the photo or not, catching ghosts on film was such a wishy-washy endeavor after all. Still, it was nice to pretend, for that little moment, that he was goofing around with friends again. The camera flashed again, perhaps a second shot to try and be sure they caught him, he didn’t mind. That bettered the chances a little, at least he hoped so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, man.” Rilla said, the camera vanishing back into his hoodie pocket.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before another thing could be said, before Corpse had the chance to return to his place beside Cartoonz and Delirious, the flashlights went awry. She was on her way. Corpse hurried over to Cartoonz’s side, there was no way he could survive another attack, though it still wasn’t certain he’d survive the last one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haven’t you done </span>
  <b>enough?!</b>
  <span>” Delirious demanded in outrage, jaw clenched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn it, we can’t drag him around the house…” Anthony stated, the room no doubt growing colder for them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse could feel the fear and dread of Barbara closing in, like a cloud of pollution that followed the broken soul. She appeared in the room, her attention wasn’t on Cartoonz though, no, instead she started stalking towards Rilla and Squirrel. They were backing away, tensed to bolt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right… you follow us…” Rilla muttered, Squirrel going so far as to flip her off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you, bitch!” The lankier of the two snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instantly she rushed at them, the two broke into a run, all but stumbling over each other as they spun on their heels. Out the door back into the hall they went, Barbara not letting them gain any ground. Corpse gritted his teeth, not liking the implications of her switching targets, but quietly hoped it would be a blessing in disguise. When he had chased Squirrel, Rilla and Anthony earlier they’d been much better at avoiding him. They’d actually run from randomly appearing dress forms, and the ones Corpse had chased them with. With one more glance back at Cartoonz, assuring himself the man was still living somehow, he turned and chased the others. He might not be able to teleport like Barbara could, but he was by far the fastest sort of ghost out there. Not even the living could outrun him if he chose to give chase.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were heading for the living room when he caught sight of them again, running wide to try and get her to loop through the room. She was close on their heels when she stopped suddenly, Corpse did not like that. He headed for her, intent on distracting her again, stopping her from doing what he was certain she was about to. Rilla and Squirrel had stumbled to a stop across the room from her, watching, waiting. That wasn’t necessarily a good idea… Corpse saw her getting ready to scream and he knew he had to act fast.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Barbara, or was it Debra, I forget, why don’t you get over here and remind me!” Corpse snarled, projecting his voice hard to ensure she did not miss it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the way the other two men jumped he was certain he’d been heard. Barbara was slow to respond, her head turning towards him with almost glowing eyes. There was irritation there, but the distraction was working so he continued the taunt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue, Debra? Oh wait, that’s not right is it?” He wasn’t afraid, he’d never actually feared her on his own, however as she vanished suddenly he realized he might not be safe from her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced around, the flashlights the living carried were still flashing…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some say the dead can’t feel pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those people were wrong, it seemed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pain…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pain quickly became the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing he knew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed she’d gotten fed up with his constant interruptions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite being dead, despite not breathing anymore, he felt like his lungs and heart had been set aflame, breath he didn’t have stolen in a vexing vortex somewhere in his chest. It was dizzying, agonizing. Somehow he managed to look down and saw her hands stabbed through his chest there, fingers curling into claws as her arms twisted in the wound. She yanked her arms back suddenly, clawed fingers tearing back through him, raking the wounds open worse. For that brief moment, the control of his abilities were lost, his voice projecting with strength he really didn’t have to spare as he screamed. The world around him flickered, threatening to pitch him into a nothingness, a cold, inescapable absolute. A death after death. A place where no living could find him, not the place of moving on but something…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nonexistence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With each flicker, each agonizing split in his soul, that fate drew nearer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fighting for consciousness, fighting for </span>
  <em>
    <span>existence</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he sank to the floor. Clinging to what little of him was tethered to the mortal plane, desperately trying to pull himself together again. He felt like he was unraveling, like the very essence of his soul was spilling into the abyss. It was a pain like nothing he’d known when alive, nothing could compare, not even death itself. There would be no moving on if he fell to this, even now, if he wanted, he couldn’t find the will to move on. He grasped at flickering memories, refusing to let them slip into the void, refusing to let himself fall away. He snarled against the pain, the sound more animal-like than he ever heard his own voice sound. It was jarring in a sense, he almost slipped, almost let the void break him apart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon, man. Don’t go out like this.” There was a voice, somewhere, near him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The room took focus again, though the pain did not fade. It was bright, he could see their faces aglow, too bright to be their flashlights. He looked down, recognizing the source… it was his own soul. Glowing furiously, breaking apart in little motes of light that drifted and frizzled away. The very energy he was made up of, burning off as pure light, he felt it, every orb that broke away, an agonizing pain. It was like having his fingers snapped off one after the other, but over and over. He gasped, a pointless but very human reaction to the unrelenting pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was it going to stop? Was this something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> stop? Was he doomed to burn away? He didn’t have those answers, he wasn’t sure anyone did. He felt his soul sway, flickering, blinking like an old film running at the wrong speed. Those brief moments between free of pain… but absent of </span>
  <em>
    <span>being</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He didn’t </span>
  <b>want </b>
  <span>that, even if existing hurt, he’d rather exist than fade away. Slowly wrapping his arms around himself, that thought firmly in his mind. It was like swimming against rapids as he fought to gain control of his own existence again. Desperately grabbing the threads of his will like loose straps broken free of a team of horses. Fighting the pain and the force of burning energy to tie them back together again, to force his soul back into a cohesive form. Finally, the pain began to fade, the bright light as well, the flickering slowed. He forced himself out of view of the human eye, doing everything he could to conserve energy. His strength was spent, he had no choice but to try and rest. He wasn’t sure how to recover, wasn’t even sure he could. The only thing he did know was that he was out of commission, hopefully only temporarily. Even so, though, he couldn’t help them and that riled him up with frustration. The emotion felt like something rolling over him that he couldn’t fully grasp. He couldn’t pull it in and let it build, he couldn’t cling to his own emotions for energy… that was frightening and that feeling too, was useless to him. He could do little more than lay on the floor, not moving from where he’d fallen. Looking at the two before him though, it seemed the hunt had ended. The beams of light from their dim flashlights were consistent. They were looking to each other, expressions of worry painted there. He couldn’t blame them, with what they’d just witnessed, for all they knew he’d actually faded away for good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Squirrel moved out of sight only to return, kneeling to set an empty can near where Corpse was laying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re still here, Corpse…  give us a sign.” Squirrel requested, his voice gentle, worried, but there was the tiniest little hope there, a hope he’d acted on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gathering what little strength Corpse had left, he tipped the aluminum can over, it felt more like trying to knock over a heavy chair from the wrong angle, but he managed. It fell and rolled just a smidge. He watched the faces of the two living men, the mix of relief and deepened concern. It was comforting, in a way, to see that these strangers cared enough about him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> concerned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s hurt…” Squirrel correctly surmised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go bring Delirious and Anthony up to speed.” Rilla said, turning towards the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a soft sigh, Squirrel stood and followed. Corpse quickly found he didn’t want to be alone, watching them walk away made his skin crawl in the worst way possible. Weakly he pulled himself back to his feet, stumbling and limping after them, back into the kitchen. He teetered side to side with each step, his head spinning painfully, but he pushed through. Pain meant existence, it wasn’t the only thing, but right then anything felt grounding. So deeply he feared slipping out of existence itself. So he spent no extra strength in staying on his feet, dropping down next to Cartoonz and Delirious, where he’d been before. Rilla was explaining what they’d seen, Squirrel quipping in here and there but Corpse couldn’t focus on it entirely. What he did catch though, sounded accurate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious cursed roundly under his breath before the group fell entirely silent, the mood heavy, hope of escape running thin. No sooner had he fallen silent did their flashlights begin to flicker again, Corpse’s shoulders slumped at the sight. Already she was close, her footfalls easy to hear, the living’s reaction to her presence was immediate. The two bolted, running from the room with her once again chasing them. He scowled, fury building at his own weakness, his inability to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything to help. He was left to watch through the door as the two ran like trapped rats. Delirious was no better off, not willing to abandon Cartoonz and he couldn’t blame the man. It was clear the two cared for each other, that unrealized bond was a heartwarming thing, even for his ghostly self. Anthony was fidgety, antsy, afraid but with the ghost not after him, it was clear he was most helpful where he was, trying to help the other two. At this point Corpse didn’t have the energy to offer an air of comfort, no matter how badly he wanted to. He couldn’t even follow the others at this point, unable to guess how well or not they were fairing. That was, until Squirrel was backing back in through the kitchen door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why is she just standing there? Why THE FUCK is she standing </span>
  <b>still.</b>
  <span>” He demanded, past him, Corpse could see her, standing there…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Preparing to scream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing he could do to stop it this time, nothing he could do to help. He felt worthless as Squirrel cried out in shocked pain, grasping his ears. Corpse couldn’t hear the banshee’s keen, but he remembered it, he remembered how painful it had been. What he could hear however, was the cracking of heavy glass. He frowned, glancing around, unsure of what exactly was about to break, at least, until the bulb in the kitchen light exploded. With a loud crack the large glass bowl that made up part of the light fixture came flying down, cracking Squirrel firmly on the top of the head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Squirrel?!</b>
  <span>” Delirious and Anthony cried in unison.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Squirrel stumbled a step back, wavering on his feet before dropping to the ground like a tent with its poles removed. Just a drop directly down, his consciousness gone before his knees could even buckle. Corpse watched, waiting for a ghost to appear, but it seemed he’d survived at least. The flashlights continued to flicker, Rilla shouted as he ran into the room, daring to dodge around Barbara to kneel by Squirrel’s side. Corpse could only watch as Rilla checked on the downed man, his hand coming away from Squirrel’s head covered in blood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit… shit shit shit, he’s hurt bad.” The level of worry in the man’s voice was high, Corpse could practically hear the ache in the man’s heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a hiss, the hunt ended, Barbara interrupted again, though this time not by Corpse’s hand. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the first rays of light spilling through the east window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sun was rising.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dawn was upon them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A mix of relief and sadness flooded him, though he shoved the sadness aside, it was selfish. He knew they’d likely never return and that was for the best. Relief, though, that he clung to. He held onto the hope that the two injured men could be gotten help in time. Anthony noted the sunlight and they scrambled, Rilla scooping Squirrel up carefully, cradling him in one arm then letting Anthony and Delirious help get Cartoonz into his other arm. That handled, they headed out. Corpse rose to his feet to stumble along with them as long as he could. He watched them file out the door, Delirious hesitating there, turning to face the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please be careful, Corpse… and thank you for all of your help.” Delirious said, sounding exhausted and run ragged with worry… but still, he cared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that though, Delirious hurried after the others. Corpse watched them as long as he could, until their forms were too far down the road for him to see anymore. Barbara slammed the door shut, her irritation palpable in the air. Corpse wanted to pop off at her with a sarcastic jab but in the state he was in it was best not to risk it. Instead, he sank to rest on the stairs, trying not to let the pain still ripping through him become overwhelming. He focused on anything he could, trivial as it was, even just thinking back at the awestruck expression he had seen once the fear melted off of Cartoonz’s face after Corpse had first ripped Barbara away from him. Even if it was just the way Delirious had seemed to relax when he was near, comfortable with him from the very start.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to admit it but he’d miss them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped they’d be alright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their fates would be a mystery to him though, from here on out he was alone again. He couldn’t be bitter about it though, not when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> his actions had helped them survive longer. He might have fallen to Barbara’s cold embrace, but she had lost this round. By all means, a higher-stakes round. More lives for her to take, and she hadn’t claimed a single one. At least not here. If either Squirrel or Cartoonz succumbed to their injuries it would be away from this place. They wouldn’t be trapped within the walls here with her. He could take some comfort in that at least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were free…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unlike him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was startled from his thoughts when the front door was kicked open violently. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No, no not again, not so soon.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He thought, watching as a figure took shape. A woman stormed in, her stance holding the air of someone ready to fight. Her hair was mostly blonde but a shock of it was a bright tone of green, not that it was terribly easy to see through the blue haze of being dead. What caught his attention all the more though was her eyes as she looked around. There was an intenseness to her sure, but the iris of her eyes glowed an imposing yellow gold. He’d never seen a living human’s eyes glow, it struck a deep, almost primal fear within him. She burned with a fury as she waltzed in without an ounce of fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Where is the bitch who hurt my boss?! SHOW YOURSELF BARBARA, TIME FOR A LITTLE CHAT!</b>
  <span>” She snarled, a booming power behind her voice, the effect feeling like a mother getting onto a petulant child.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her very presence felt twice as tall as she physically appeared and she was no short woman. No sooner had her shouting ended did the door slam shut behind her, there were no flashlights to give the tell but Corpse was certain Barbara had started hunting, appearing before the new woman, already preparing to scream…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Don’t you dare, you shut your mouth and listen.</b>
  <span>” The woman snarled and for the first time Corpse had ever seen…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barbara looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>afraid.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barbara took a step </span>
  <em>
    <span>back.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse practically sank into the staircase, terrified as he watched, watched the glowing eyed woman stalk right up to Barbara, reaching a hand towards her. Barbara shrank back, as if that hand was poison but the woman did not slow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Barbara, Barbara… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Martin</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I see you, I see you are not part of this life any longer. There is nothing here for you. The afterlife is waiting, Barbara, and it is time </span>
  <b>you </b>
  <b>
    <em>go</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
  <span>” That said her hand made contact with the ghost, the burning bright light of the afterlife flaring up around Barbara like a hungry fire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was like a tear in reality reaching out to engulf the woman’s soul, pulling the unresting through to the afterlife, to it’s mysterious great beyond. With a ghostly gasp, she was gone. All the pain, the fear, the dread, lifted away like week old grime washed off a forgotten dirty dish. Just like that, she’d been forcefully sent to rest. The stranger stood there a moment afterward, slowly turning her hand over to inspect it before whatever thought held her attention was worked through. She turned and he felt her gaze as it fell to his hiding place. He was still too weak to do much of anything. He couldn’t run as she approached and he found himself more afraid now than when Barbara had chased him while he was alive. There was a more gentle air to the woman now though, kneeling beside him at the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re Corpse Husband, yes? Delirious told me you were here.” She said, her tone much kinder now, a hand reaching for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to recoil but he didn’t have the strength to escape. Fear spiked, that he was about to be forced into the afterlife as well. He didn’t want to go there yet, he wasn’t ready. Even in his weakened state he didn’t want to let go of this lifetime yet, this version of himself. He didn’t want to know what was waiting on the other side, he didn’t want to know what mortal theory was even remotely close to correct, not yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t… and she didn’t force him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the presence of her hand, so near his soul, had a different effect it took him a moment to process what was happening. It was a gentle little push of energy, sloppy and untrained but… a kind act regardless. Some of the pain eased off, a little bit of strength returned before she retracted her arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’d like to see them we can go. Just show me what’s tethering you.” She requested and, though he wasn’t sure she could actually see him, as she’d seemed to stare right through his chest, he got up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He led the way up and up, into the attic. When he’d died his mask had been ripped from his body, tumbling elsewhere. Once he’d realized he could move things he’d hid it, out of reach of the police crew that collected his remains. That was the item linking him to the mortal plane, he knew that. So to the far corner of the attic he led this friend of Delirious. When they reached it though, he jumped a little. Laying on the floor, right where he’d left it, was his mask. However it looked like someone had taken a hammer directly to the center of it, smashing it into large chunks. The center pulverized.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was why he felt so weak, so much like he was going to tip right over into the void. Perhaps what he was tethered to was more important than he’d first realized. Gently the woman reached down and scooped up the largest shard of his mask, the piece holding the strongest thread to the mortal plane. With a bit of focus, he piled all of his attachment to that piece, it was uncomfortable… but he felt less fractured, but the item certainly didn’t feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He’d have to find something else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure what that would be though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect, let’s go.” She said, tucking the shard of mask into her pocket.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now it was less of him having to spend his strength to go from place to place and more like he could drift along, kicking his feet off of the floor to float. He was able to just stay near his tether and go wherever it was taken. It was a relief really, a chance to relax comfortably. So he floated alongside this stranger as she made her way out of the house and for the first time since his death… he was outside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t feel the sunlight, he couldn’t feel the light breeze that was blowing through the trees, but it was nice to be outside. It was nice to see the almost too bright beauty around him, it was nice to shake the shackles of that space, to be part of the world again. No longer trapped with the boredom of that one house with a cranky bitch ghost haunting the halls. The weakened state no longer threatened a worse state of boredom than before. Now he had a bit of company, the buildings passing by were far more interesting than being trapped in the same four walls eternally. He felt all the more human for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse really had no idea how much time it took to get from one place to another, he just knew that the sunlight was almost uncomfortably bright. He didn’t mind, rather just closed his eyes and drifted along with her as they went.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Jihi, by the way.” She said softly, something in her tone not really expecting an answer, she was just speaking for his benefit. “I always denied the existence of spirits like you because I didn’t… I just didn’t want it to be real. After the events of tonight perhaps you could understand why.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could, honestly, it made sense. His strength was still weak but he offered a mild wash of a comforting feeling. With whatever made her… whatever </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> was, perhaps she’d be more sensitive to it. She chuckled softly at least, it felt like confirmation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, I suppose there is no denying it any longer. I have studying to do, but I will see if I can help you. You protected Cartoonz, I appreciate that.” She explained, he wanted to ask if that’s who she’d meant as ‘boss’ but he figured he’d get that answer eventually anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She fell silent for a few paces and he opened his eyes to regard her. There was a thoughtful expression there, one weighed down with worry. They were away from the residential area now, on some kind of campus of buildings. Looking ahead he saw a big building that had to be a hospital.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My friends are idiots, but they are </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> idiots. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost anyone… so… your efforts to protect them mean a lot. Perhaps you’ll be one of my idiots, too.” She said, her voice going a little quieter as she spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked back to her, the promise of friendships… it pulled at his dead heart just so. It was something that he could never have hoped for. He was a ghost, yet here he was, with people </span>
  <em>
    <span>caring</span>
  </em>
  <span> about him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>including</span>
  </em>
  <span> him as if he’d always been one of their own. He didn’t get to think much more on that note though, as she continued speaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stick close, I don’t like hospitals, I may not be able to sense you as well.” She admitted, hesitating before crossing the rest of the sidewalk to the doors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He did as asked, drawing closer to his tether. With a steadying breath she opened the doors and headed in. It was a hospital, just like every other. Really nothing noteworthy about it. Jihi seemed to know where to go, heading to the far end of the lobby, turning down a wide hall. He noticed a ghost wandering down the hall the opposite way, wearing a hospital gown. He didn’t look violent at least. They rounded a corner and he saw three more ghosts following a doctor, they looked angry. Further down the hall still a ghost crossed out of one room and into another. There were living around too, but it seemed for every living person there was at least one ghost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No wonder she didn’t like this place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another ghost was just standing in the middle of the hallway as they approached the elevators, Jihi pressed the call button, waiting, the ghost started screaming and Jihi flinched at either the unpleasantly loud sound or the sharp emotion behind it. He couldn’t be sure which. The sound was drowned out after Jihi stepped into the elevator and its doors rolled closed. Corpse felt nothing as the elevator lurched into motion, he wasn’t really surprised by that. There was a kid sitting in the corner of the elevator though, giggling to itself, with the way Jihi so firmly ignored it he figured he best do the same. While the ghosts in most of the hospital so far had seemed harmless… that one was more like Barbara, or even himself before he got himself hurt. It didn’t seem like a Banshee or a Revenant, but it was something strong. Jihi’s breath was fogging the air by the time she stepped off the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glancing back as the doors closed again Corpse caught it as the child looked up… it had no eyes. Despite the fact he himself was already dead, he was more than a little creeped out by the sight. He didn’t bring it up though, quickly looking away before the closing doors could even break the view of the thing. They were headed down another hall, doors on either side holding numbers and she picked one specifically out of them. The knob turned easily in her hand. Inside was a generic enough room, one that had been copied over and over in the wing no doubt. There was enough room for two beds and medical equipment to fit easily enough and those were there. In one bed Squirrel lay motionless, though the equipment next to him beeped steadily. In the next bed was Cartoonz, sitting in a chair next to him and draped partly over the bed was Delirious. Delirious who was a miserable sight to behold, lifting his head from where it had rested on his crossed arms, face tearstained, eyes tired and lips pulled thin with stress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where is Rilla and Anthony?” Jihi asked as the door closed behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The fucking sheriff showed up and arrested Rilla. The asshole thinks </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> did this.” Delirious explained, motioning at the two wounded friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like fucking hell!” Jihi protested, outrage bubbling into her voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… asshole… Anthony went to talk to his dad and see if he’d be willing to take Rilla’s side.” Delirious went on, glancing at Cartoonz’s unconscious face before dropping his own head back to his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His mask was pushed around to one side of his head, but he still seemed he’d rather hide his face while upset. Corpse couldn’t really make heads or tails of the equipment but the beeping from the monitors hooked to Cartoonz did seem considerably weaker. Half of Cartoonz’s face was obscured by bandages, the same for Squirrel’s head. Jihi let out a soft sigh as she regarded her friends and crossed the rest of the room to kneel beside Delirious. One hand rested on his arm while the other fished out the shard of Corpse’s mask. Gently she placed the broken piece of mask into his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On the bright side Barbara is gone and I’ve brought your friend.” Jihi’s voice was gentle, kind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious lifted his head, inspecting the piece of mask, a finger rolling over some of the remaining details. As he did though, Corpse felt something, a slight draw… His eyes fell to the mask Delirious wore, one that seemed to hold emotional significance to him, just like Corpse’s own mask had to himself. Without really thinking about what he was doing he reached up and placed a hand on the other mask. There was something that felt like the snapping of a rubber band. A sharp, disorienting snap left him momentarily stunned but as that faded he found himself feeling much less weak. With a blink he realized he felt no connection to the broken piece of mask. He didn’t feel fractured and damaged anymore. He felt like he was returning to being whole, slowly, steadily gaining back his strength.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh…” Jihi muttered, no doubt having noticed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Delirious asked, glancing up at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He… moved. He’s bound to </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> mask now.” She explained, confirming what he was already pretty sure he’d accidentally done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s fine, if he likes it. I’m just glad he’s here.” Delirious said, pulling the mask back over his face before laying against his arms again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jihi patted his back, falling silent. The way Delirious’ fingers felt as they brushed against the mask, the warmth of his breath bouncing around the inside of it; it sent a chill up Corpse’s spine. There was a flutter in an unbeating heart, an emotion he wasn’t quite sure what was but not disliking it. Regardless of what it was, it soaked in and settled in his soul, beginning to stitch the damage closed, adding to his pooling strength.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t one to waste the opportunity, sitting on the side of the bed he rested one hand over Cartoonz and one over Delirious’ shoulder. Feelings of warmth, of comfort, of being safe, he projected all of it to them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, comments are welcome C;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Ghost Vision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Haze coated dreams, warped and distorted, slowly faded. There was a nothingness again, a place between, he’d wavered in and out of it time and time again. He’d seen the inside of an operating room, all painted in blue, hazy and fogged, only to slip back to this place again. There was something different this time though, something that caught his mind, held his attention, pulling his consciousness from the depths. He followed it, a feeling of comfort and warmth, it felt safe, it felt… like somewhere he should be. He swam through the darkness, reaching out towards something that felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> in a pit of nothing. As the feelings grew stronger they were joined by more, the awareness of being touched, of laying down, it came with the awareness of a subtle set of beeping, out of rhythm from each other. It came with that clinical smell of a hospital. It came with it the feeling of pain that would be far worse if not for something muffling it medically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly he cracked an eye open, his only eye, the memory of losing the other settled in with a haunting absoluteness. Despite that, his sight didn’t feel entirely hindered. Staring up at the ceiling above him he could see it normally through his good eye, but also with a blue haze from where his other eye should be. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but the blue was very subtle, it was a weak level of sight, mostly drowned out by his natural eye’s vision. Slowly he turned his head, looking to his left. Leaning against the wall and watching out the window was Jihi, she looked deeply concerned. Draped across him, one arm over his legs, other arm supporting the face of the owner of those arms, was Delirious. His mask was firmly in place, there was a droop to his shoulders that stung Cartoonz’s heart. One of those shoulders had a translucent hand on it though, one he could only see from that odd, hazy blue sight. Turning his head a little more he could see the back of a tall man who sat next to him and Delirious both. He realized as he looked up, at the profile of that face under a mask, that it was the ghost who’d helped them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a bit disorienting to both see him and… not. That was easy enough to brush off in the face of the fact that he could see him at all, though. Cartoonz was glad he was present, something stirring in his heart just the same as with Delirious there. Slowly, Cartoonz moved one hand, reaching out to rest it on Delirious’s arm. Delirious lifted his face, even with the mask in place it was obvious he’d been crying. A lot. However when his gaze followed that hand, quickly looking up to Cartoonz’s face, those eyes lit up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Toonz!</b>
  <span>” He shouted, relief flooding his tone. A new wave of tears welling as he surged forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz caught him in his arms, pulling him in for a tight hug, the feeling of Delirious’ mask pressed against the crook of his neck, the feeling of excess fabric from his hoodie spilling around his arms. Cartoonz’s heart sang at the closeness, of the presence of Delirious so close… and with his mask there, Corpse’s presence felt quite close too. Cartoonz couldn’t find himself to be dissatisfied with that, either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious let out a stuttered sob, clinging almost too tight. Cartoonz caught sight of Jihi watching them, he could see how the tension had drained from her shoulders, the relief that had washed over her, the fondness that filled her features. He offered her an apologetic smile, hating he’d worried everyone so badly. He turned his head, burying his face in Delirious’ hair, just enjoying that feeling of closeness, savoring the sensations of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He sank back into his pillows when Delirious lifted his head, meeting his gaze. Gently he reached up, slipping his thumb under that mask to gently caress Delirious’ cheek beneath. Delirious leaned into the touch, his eyes falling closed. They remained that way for a time, just living the moment before Delirious reached up and slid his mask to the side of his face. Seeing that handsome face so tearstained and reddened, it stung Cartoonz right in the heart knowing he was the cause. Delirious however brought his other hand to wrap around Cartoonz’s own before leaning his face more into Cartoonz’s touch. It was like he feared that if he let go, Cartoonz might fade away. Cartoonz bit his lip, his heart hammering in his chest almost painfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hesitantly, nervously, he pulled Delirious closer, drawing him down until their faces were only inches apart. Delirious let him, gliding gracefully with the gentle tug. He closed the rest of the distance, resting his forehead against Cartoonz’s gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought I’d lost you.” Delirious whispered, his voice so hard with emotions it was hard to pick any of them apart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t going to let go that easy.” Cartoonz offered, trying to present some of the same confidence Delirious always had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if that’d be enough to grant him the courage to say what he wanted to, to finally voice those unspoken words, hanging in the air once more. Delirious’ beautiful blue gaze held his, blurring the lines between his normal sight and the more ghostly vision. His lips parted, quivered, the words still failing to reach his tongue… but they didn’t have to. Delirious already knew, it seemed, as he closed that distance. Their lips met, it felt like a long time coming, like something that should have happened already, something that was meant to be. Soft yet intense, warm yet sending a chill up his spine. His heart sang, it was like finding his way home for the first time in his life. He returned the kiss, matching that delicate gentleness with a passion, a confirmation…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A voice to words never spoken, the warmth of hearts shared, a moment so very nearly stolen by the grips of death itself. The kiss came to its end, Delirious pulling out of Cartoonz’s space, sitting back to look at him with a love-filled, warm expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Words are a bit overrated.” Delirious said with a little shrug, more than enough to explain himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>So</span>
  </em>
  <span> overrated.” Cartoonz agreed, holding Delirious’ gaze a moment more before turning his head towards the window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, in a way half of his view was blocked. Corpse was still sitting beside him on the bed, one eye not able to see him, yet the lack of one somehow able to. Perhaps his right eye was technically a ghost? He wasn’t sure how viable a theory that was but it made as much sense as anything else so it was justification enough to calm his mind. His view of the window was partially obstructed so he found himself looking up at the face he couldn’t see before. He did look a bit ghostly, but not at all scary, still as handsome as he’d thought before. Corpse was watching him back with something… a longing, one he realized he’d seen on Delirious’ face before and simply just… not understood. It made sense now and looking up at that ghost he found himself wondering how he was supposed to react. So for once he spoke without hesitation, somehow, perhaps he was still drunk on that kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? You want a smooch too?” He demanded, only after the words left his mouth did it settle in that, one, the others might not be able to see him and two, it wasn’t possible so if he did that was a mean question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz watched a surprised expression fill the ghost’s features, saw his lips move but heard not a thing. However he turned his gaze to Delirious, who was red in the face, for a moment Cartoonz worried he’d upset him… but no, that was a blush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, ‘yes actually’ is what he said, and I don’t think I’d mind either…” Delirious admitted, the words a bit rushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A single, high pitched whistling sound followed the flustered silence, drawing Cartoonz’s gaze to where Jihi had her hands over her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed howls of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You uh, gonna live over there, Jihi?” Cartoonz asked, his own cheeks warm in the wake of the previous conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jihi started laughing harder, filling the air with sounds comparable to a squeaky toy in the jaws of a hyperactive dog on caffeine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right!” Delirious laughed, responding to something only he’d heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Cartoonz asked, seeing Delirious trying not to devolve into giggles as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jihi has a case of the hihi’s.” Delirious voiced, laughing and causing Jihi to lose any battle she'd been fighting for control, wrapping her arms around her chest and belly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Noo!” She wheezed, laughing so hard tears were escaping the edges of her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The hell is going on? Are the guards of hell a bunch of hyenas?” Squirrel’s voice cut into the air, silencing the laughter with a sharp slap of reality.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jihi coughed, fast to right herself and regain her composure as she went to check on Squirrel. Cartoonz shifted how he was laying, turning his head the other way, following the voice. Squirrel was in the bed next to his, which struck hard. Cartoonz hadn’t realized he was there, that side of the room mostly a blue haze. Yet there he was, laying in a hospital bed, dressed in a hospital gown, his beanie gone, replaced by bandages. A cold dread shot through Cartoonz, a fear, he didn’t know what’d happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was also then that he realized he didn’t see Rilla or Anthony present.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His blood suddenly felt like ice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Were they?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to consider that, didn’t want to believe, didn’t even want to voice the thought in order to ask. So he shoved it aside, focusing instead on his wounded friend who </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> there. Squirrel looked confused, pained even, which only deepened Cartoonz’s worry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Delirious, go alert one of the nurses they are both awake.” Jihi requested as she sat down on the edge of Squirrel’s bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious didn’t argue, pulling himself up to his feet. He caught Cartoonz’s hand in his a moment, giving it a squeeze before hurrying out of the room. Cartoonz glanced from the door back to Squirrel who held his head in his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is the pain bad?” Jihi asked, keeping her voice low just in case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A bit? Wh- what happened? Where?” Squirrel’s confusion hung heavy around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The ghost cold-cocked you.” Jihi stated flatly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But we got out?” He asked, lowering his hands to glance around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes locked on Cartoonz, dread seeping through as he looked Cartoonz over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, we did.” Cartoonz said with a slight nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your eye…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that came out too.” Cartoonz shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Squirrel’s face screwed up at that, he was about to say something more but the opening of the door caught both their attention. Cartoonz glanced that way, seeing a doctor lead the way into the room with Delirious tagging along behind him. The doctor was just a smidge taller than Delirious, well kept, had short dark hair and an overall friendly manner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good to see you both awake! For a minute there, Cartoonz, we were pretty sure you were gonna unalive right there on the operating table, my dude. You’re awake now though, that’s pretty swick. You too Squirrel, how are you guys feeling?” The doctor asked, glancing between both of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-was any of that english?” Jihi asked, leaning towards Cartoonz a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t worry… Uh, I’m feeling okay but Squirrel’s still in pain.” Cartoonz offered and the doctor focused more on Squirrel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How bad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh? Uh… yes? Who are you?” Squirrel asked, still badly disoriented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dr. Sparklez, how are you holding up?” The man’s voice took a more gentle tone, looking Squirrel over carefully before fiddling with the i.v.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… don’t know? My head hurts and the last thing I remember was that horrible screaming sound…” Squirrel grumbled in reply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well this should help, you just try to rest, okay?” Dr. Sparklez said, gently patting Squirrel’s arm before turning to Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So is my eye really gone? Or is just, really fucked up?” Cartoonz asked, looking up at the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s gone my dude, a real demonetizing level mess. I did the best I could but you’re going to have a gnarly scar. The important part is that you’re still alive… you came in looking like you’d been left in a freezer.” Dr. Sparklez said, looking up past Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He followed the doctor's line of sight, where Corpse was staring right back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I didn’t know better I’d say it was almost like you got attacked by the dead itself…” Dr. Sparklez noted, a low level of suspicion in his tone before he looked away from Corpse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, you wouldn’t be entirely </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but it wasn’t him.” Cartoonz said quietly, leaving the doctor to nod slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right… someone started messing with the caulk didn’t they? You should know that’s bad for your health in a haunted location.” Dr. Sparklez said quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you mumbling about? What about whose c-” Squirrel was questioning when Jihi cut him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, medical things…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, call for the nurses if anything changes alright? As things are looking right now though, I think you two are going to recover just fine and it’s gonna be swick dudes.” Dr. Sparklez said with a wave of his clipboard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be sure to, thanks.” Cartoonz said, sinking back into his pillows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Squirrel let out a grumbled confirming sound, glancing his way, it looked like he was already dozing back off. Cartoonz let out a long, rough sigh, looking up at Corpse. The handsome man in the spooky rabbit mask watching him in return. The mask only had one eye and one ear, the right ones, the left were broken away. The entire, ghastly smile was there though. Glancing down from him Cartoonz noticed Delirious’ mask back over his own face, likely having settled it back into place before approaching any medical staff. Cartoonz bit his lip at the thought of just how stressed Delirious had to be from all of this. That had been so far from Cartoonz’s intentions… he’d just wanted to goof off in some spooky building and maybe get the chance to finally tell Delirious how he felt. He supposed it worked out in the end, but the cost was a little higher than he was comfortable with. Especially…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… where is-” Cartoonz started to ask but the door opened again and, glancing up, he breathed a sigh of relief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony was still alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t alone, and for just a moment Cartoonz got his hopes up that the next form to step through that door would be Rilla…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it wasn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Andrew, Anthony’s dad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was quite the juxtaposition to see the two side by side. They looked so much alike, yet so drastically different. Anthony with his mohawk and Andrew with his short cut, natural hair, Anthony in a studded leather vest to display his tattoos, and black jeans but Andrew wearing a three piece suit. The family resemblance was strong between them, obviously father and son, yet the style choices varied so hard. Of course, considering one of them was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lawyer</span>
  </em>
  <span> perhaps that made perfect sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to help?” Delirious asked hopefully, standing so quickly he sent his chair clattering over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, I’m not going to let that racist asshole deputy get away with this shit.” Andrew assured him, casting a worried glance at Squirrel before coming to a stop beside Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on? Where’s Rilla?” Cartoonz demanded, watching that carefully controlled lawyer face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sitting in the county jail, all I need from you and Squirrel is the statements that he’s not what landed you guys here.” Andrew explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz’s hands balled into fists, the wave of tension and rage causing the beeping in the medical equipment to spike.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <b>fuck</b>
  <span>!? Of fucking </span>
  <b>course he’s not!</b>
  <span> What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck!?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Cartoonz snapped, furious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll get him out of this mess, don't worry.” Andrew said with a nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You make it sound easy.” Anthony said, worry thick in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s an innocent man, we’ll have that proven soon enough. I’ll see to it that idiot deputy is humiliated for arresting the hero who got your friends here in time to save them.” Andrew said firmly, clearly furious Rilla had been wronged like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, I’m not sure what we’d do without your help.” Delirious admitted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rilla would become another statistic, there’d be nothing you </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> do. I’ve been fighting corruption in this town since the day I arrived. I’m not going to start looking the other way now.” Andrew assured them, heading back towards the door, but paused to pat Anthony on the shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really glad to have you on our side.” Anthony admitted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, and Tony? Call me when Squirrel is awake so I can talk to him too.” Andrew said and with a nod from Anthony, the lawyer headed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony sighed heavily, going over to sit on the edge of Squirrel’s bed, taking Squirrel’s hand. Jihi returned to her chair in the corner while Delirious collected his own from the floor. Cartoonz watched him, the slumped shoulders, the lack of energy, the way he looked like he wanted to crawl under his covers and hide for a week. Then, a tilt to his head, he seemed to be listening. Glancing up Cartoonz noticed the way Corpse was moving, the ghost saying something, he wished he could hear him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s an interesting thought.” Delirious admitted quietly, tilting his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Corpse leaned towards him, still whatever was said being lost to Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, I trust you not to just keep control away at all times so… yeah, why not? Let’s see if you can do it!” Delirious said, the slightest uptick in his demeanor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try what?” Jihi asked, tensed as if she expected something stupid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What Cartoonz saw happen next was odd. The ghost, so much taller than Delirious, vanished for the most part. Delirious himself took on an odd ghostly glow right around the edges, it settled in slowly, Delirious slumped in his chair. When he moved again his posture changed, much more like Corpse’s. Not only that though, Cartoonz realized he was seeing hints of Corpse almost superimposed over Delirious. The masks an odd mix, one eye saw Corpse… the other saw Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly Delirious… or perhaps it was Corpse in Delirious' body, reached up to move the masks aside. The face beneath had a similar look to them. When he… they, spoke, the voices were mixed, layered over each other in a startling way, but Cartoonz couldn’t say he didn’t like it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Possession… that was surprisingly easy to do.” Corpse admitted, sounding thoughtful, but there was a respect there too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not… permanent is it?” Cartoonz asked, a bit concerned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, I don’t think I can keep it up very long even with Delirious being so willing. I’m not a demon.” Corpse assured, glancing up at Cartoonz, giving a grin so sly it put every fox alive to shame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, uh… this about that kiss?” Cartoonz asked, his heart skipping a beat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Corpse snickered, wiggling an eyebrow in a way Cartoonz wasn’t sure Delirious even knew how to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That said, Corpse stood, leaning forward and down until their faces were just inches apart. Until his breath was ghosting over Cartoonz’s face and Cartoonz gently reached a hand up, snaking it through Delirious’ hair to pull them closer. Their lips met, a spark of excitement rolling through Cartoonz, the kiss was familiar yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The same body as the kiss with Delirious but the soul, the passion behind it quite unique. Cartoonz shivered, melting under Corpse’s touch and once their lips parted he caught a wink from Corpse before the ghostly aura faded from Delirious’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious let out a quiet sigh and deflated, laying partially atop Cartoonz, resting his head against Cartoonz’s chest. Past him Corpse returned to sitting on the bed, seeming quite pleased. Gently Cartoonz rubbed Delirious’ back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better than okay.” Delirious confirmed, tone about as melted as the rest of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <b>fuck</b>
  <span> did I just witness?” Anthony demanded, somewhere between freaked out and dumbfounded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, what you got a problem Anthony? Huh?” Cartoonz shot back, honestly a bit amused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At this point I don’t think I’ll be surprised by anything anymore.” Jihi sighed, shaking her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group fell into silence after that, Cartoonz sinking into his pillows with a heavy sigh. He was glad to know everyone was alive, and despite Rilla having the shitty situation of sitting in a jail cell, Cartoonz found himself confident Andrew could handle getting him free. What the lawyer said lingered a bit though, like a bad flavor left behind by a week old, left in the back of the fridge while open energy drink. That the town was corrupt, that stuck with him. What kinds of problems would they see from then on? Glancing to the end of the bed, where Corpse was now draped like an indignant cat, then to Delirious, still draped across Cartoonz’s chest. He knew normal was not going to be part of their lives anymore and the bigwigs in town preferred people to be just that…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Normal.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He swallowed hard and had a creeping suspicion that things might not be as okay as he hoped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-- </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh, what happened? Where are we?” That question, asked not for the first time, sent a cold chill through Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He lifted his head from Cartoonz’s chest, not sure when exactly he’d nodded off. Glancing around though, he found Jihi gone, and Anthony asleep in a chair next to Squirrel. Squirrel himself, the source of the question, was awake again. He looked confused, scratching at the bandages on the side of his head with mild annoyance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You… you got knocked out, we’ve been over this. We’re in the hospital.” Cartoonz said, his voice feeling warm against the worry for Squirrel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that makes sense… oh my god Cartoonz, your eye.” Squirrel said, a horrified look crossing his face, he remembered that Cartoonz had been wounded and seeing the bandaged sight drove that home…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Again, evidently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, getting closer to that dream of becoming a real life pirate every day.” Cartoonz laughed and his tone seemed to help ease some of Squirrel’s worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess, as long as you’re okay.” Squirrel sighed, resting a hand on the sleeping Anthony’s arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m good, how's your head?” Cartoonz asked, drawing a small shrug out of the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess fine?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No more pain? You were in pain when you woke up last.” Delirious asked, biting his lip as he watched Squirrel’s face screw up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, I woke up before this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you don’t remember, do you?” Cartoonz sounded like he already knew the answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No… I remember the screaming and then… just now.” Squirrel explained and Delirious was already pushing himself to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you’d forget that doctor from earlier, he was… something.” Delirious noted, trying to hide his worry with an upbeat tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wish I did remember.” Squirrel sighed as Delirious settled his mask back over his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t wait around for further conversation, he was back out into the hall looking for the first nurse he could find. He’d never dealt with head injuries before, he didn’t know if it was normal or not for Squirrel to be struggling with memory loss, he didn’t know if this would be permanent or temporary. All he knew was he needed an adultier adult than what was present and Jihi wasn’t there to offer any sort of level headed input. So down the hall he headed, towards the nearest nurse's station he could find. The hospital was filled with too many halls, too many doors, he’d hated it the last time he’d gone in search but now at a later hour, in this tiny town, it seemed he was searching for a skeleton crew. Despite the comforting, kind presence of Corpse hanging around him like a cloak, he felt unnerved. It was like, despite the halls being void of life, that the two weren’t alone. He felt…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Watched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s okay, none of them are strong enough to hurt you.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Corpse’s voice whispered in his ear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clearly his discomfort was showing enough for the ghost to read. Delirious squared his shoulders and tried not to let it be so obvious how unnerved he was, how much he hated how quiet it was. He turned a corner in the hall, passed through another large set of double doors, not even sure the </span>
  <em>
    <span>point</span>
  </em>
  <span> of them since it was just more hallway on either side. He did, however, spot someone up ahead so he picked up his pace a bit. A woman stood alone in the hall, scowling down at the clipboard in her hands as if it had offended her great grandfather simply by existing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me.” He called as he approached, trying not to startle her, her attention snapped to him so quickly he suddenly felt like he was back in school again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had that air to her, an angry teacher who’d love to snap his neck if only murder was legal. He found his steps slowing to a halt, his brain grinding much the same as that scrutinizing glare held him like a snake about to strike. All at once it was like every word he’d planned to speak fell out of his head at once from the pure anxiety that mere look struck in him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t be here.” She said flatly, as if he was trespassing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I... I uh…” He couldn’t quite gather the words he needed, the exhaustion of everything weighing down on him, now her general attitude seemed to sap what little sense he’d had left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked and suddenly he felt Corpse gently tug for control, like he had earlier. Delirious had absolutely no reason to argue and let the ghost take over. In all honesty he could grow to like the cool sensation that flooded his limbs, the way Corpse shifted his posture, the way the ghost’s voice rolled from his throat with an otherwise impossible depth. So lost in the feelings of it all he’d missed part of the conversation, but as he tuned back in he realized the earlier ire on the woman’s face had drained away, replaced by something very unsettled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... and he’s not remembering conversations had the last time he was awake.” Corpse was informing her, to which the nurse finally nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll fetch Doctor Sparklez.” She said, no more snide edge to her tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way she turned and headed down the hall gave Delirious the impression she couldn’t get away fast enough even if she ran. An amused chuckle slipped past Delirious’ own lips in a way that was not his own and it was somehow thrilling. He trusted Corpse after what he’d done to protect them, leaving him able to marvel at the fascinating experience. An experience that would have been horrifying in any other context, in a way that would have felt constricting, binding. At least he guessed so, but this, it was more like letting his body act all its own without any input from his own thoughts, a true level of autopilot in a sense. Corpse’s soul was comfortable to lean against, a caring energy that seemed to wrap him in a comforting hold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he felt Corpse’s control slipping away again he was back outside of the room’s door. Pushing through he found Squirrel and Cartoonz talking softly, Squirrel looked worried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try not to worry, Anthony’s dad has got his back.” Cartoonz said before glancing up at Delirious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The warmth and care in his expression made Delirious melt just a bit. He crossed the room to return to his chair, settling next to Cartoonz again. He’d been so worried, terrified that he was going to lose Cartoonz for good. The ghost had been terrifying, sure, but what she’d done to him was so much worse. Laying a hand over Cartoonz’s thigh he took comfort in the solidity of his presence. He was there, alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really, that was all Delirious could have asked for.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Blinding Orange</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn’t but a few minutes after Delirious returned that Dr. Sparklez came into the room again, his attention on Squirrel. More than that though, the temperature in the room dropped intensely when he walked in, the ghost hanging from his shoulders likely the cause. Cartoonz felt a pang of sadness at the sight of the child ghost, seeing a life that had been cut horrifically short. The kid at least looked comfortable though, her arms wrapped loosely around the doctor’s neck, looking over his shoulder as he approached them. She seemed to shrink back a bit when she realized he could see her, a look of nervousness filling her features. He tried to offer her a friendly expression in return, not meaning to startle her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious was telling the doctor what was up with Squirrel but he didn’t look terribly worried, nodding as he listened. Cartoonz found himself glancing around the room for anything he could subtly use for trying to cheer up the ghost child. It wasn’t that he wasn’t worried for Squirrel so much as the doctor’s lack of worry put his own mind at ease, but the frightened look on her face was going to haunt him if he didn’t give an effort. His eyes settled on the pen poking out of the lower pocket on the doctor’s lab coat pocket. In probably the smoothest sleight of hand in his life, he reached over and snagged the pen. Dr. Sparklez didn’t notice but the kid did, giving him a disgracefully surprised expression, as if he’d stolen candy from a baby or snatched some old woman’s purse from her shopping cart while she wasn’t looking. He just winked at her though, keeping her attention as the doctor turned to talk to Squirrel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Squirrel and the doctor spoke Cartoonz slotted the pen between his fingers and started wiggling it before spinning it to catch between his next two fingers. The suspicion melted from her features melted as she watched, fascinated. He smirked, going to repeat the trick again but misjudging the weight of the pen, moving his pinky in just the wrong timing to catch the pen awkwardly and send it flying across the room. Squirrel falling silent as he, Dr. Sparklez and the ghost child all looked the direction of the flung pen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl started laughing in the wake of the continued silence of everyone else, highly amused at the failed trick. That was fine, as long as she’d cheered up that’s all that mattered. Dr. Sparklez glanced at her, smiling a bit, perhaps he wouldn’t mind too much then when he realized that’d been his pen. He turned back to Squirrel as the child continued giggling, her shoulders shaking and her face buried in the doctor’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, a bit of temporary memory loss is normal and with you able to sleep safely I think it’ll be fine to send you home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re sure?” A barely half awake Anthony questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, just keep an eye on him for a few days and give me a call if anything starts going not so swick.” Dr. Sparklez nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we can manage that.” Delirious assured him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great, and you too, Cartoonz, you seem to be recovering well already. I think it will be fine for you to go home as well, more comfortable there even. I’ll have prescriptions called in for you at the pharmacy.” The doctor said, going to make a note on his clipboard only to find his pen missing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks doc, try not to die of boredom around here once we leave eh?” Cartoonz offered with a grin, trying not to laugh as the man went across the room to retrieve his pen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you guys stay out of haunted locations.” He said, waving his pen at both Cartoonz and Squirrel before vanishing back through the door again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I guess we start getting ready to leave, first though…” Anthony said as he stood, going for the phone on the wall between the beds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious must not have noticed it Cartoonz realized, since that would have made flagging down a nurse much easier. Past Anthony, Squirrel laid back against his pillows with a groan, clearly finding the whole situation exhausting. Cartoonz looked back to his other side as he shifted his arms around to push himself into a sitting position, slowly. His body still held some discomfort and he couldn’t begin to guess from exactly what. The throbbing in his eye socket from the change in elevation though, it made him a little nauseous. Settling in all over again how he’d lost an eye, it was a weird sense of reality that felt out of place. So out of the norm and yet undeniable, it was a feeling like wishing to reload an older save of a game after making a mistake; yet this was real life and there was no reloading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no going back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no changing what had happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a steadying breath, looking to Delirious and Corpse… perhaps, perhaps it had been worth it. After all was said and done, even if things could have gone better, they’d still turned out better than the worst. Aside from Corpse they were all alive, that was what mattered. If he had to do it all again, knowing that there was the chance that Delirious might just love him back… he’d do it again, even if it cost him his eye. It was worth it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toonz if you think any harder you’re going to blow a gasket.” Delirious said suddenly, drawing Cartoonz’s attention back to the present.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his mask pushed to the side he could see the smirk on Delirious’s face. Corpse was laughing, too, though Cartoonz couldn’t hear it. The shaking shoulders and wide smile gave away enough. Cartoonz only chuckled, shaking his head. Any other thought he might have considered sharing was left unsaid when Squirrel’s voice went up sharply in octave and volume.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Are you fucking kidding me? Of fucking course he didn’t!</b>
  <span>” The level of seriousness, of downright anger, was startling from the normally easy-going man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz turned to check on him, seeing Anthony rubbing his back while Squirrel held the phone to his ear. His face screwed up in disgust and anger. Cartoonz couldn’t blame him, he’d like to give the cops a piece of his mind himself, but for now they could only wait for Andrew to sort things out. He let out a small sigh as a nurse came into the room, going over to free him and Squirrel from the equipment that had kept tabs on them while they’d been unconscious. As soon as it was all off of him, Cartoonz took a moment to stretch before finally starting to question where his clothes might have ended up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No sooner had that crossed his mind though, Delirious started setting them on the bed next to him. Neatly folded, though still bloodied. It looked like at least an attempt had been made to rinse the blood out but they were ruined. They’d still do to get him home though, even if he did look like an extra for a horror movie. As he set about getting dressed he noticed Delirious trying not to stare but not quite managing it. Corpse on the other hand was unashamedly not averting his gaze. Cartoonz pulled the hospital gown off and tossed it aside, throwing a cheeky wink at Delirious before pulling his hoodie on. By the time he had it situated and glanced over again, Delirious was as red in his face as the stripes on his mask.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz smirked, getting the rest of his clothes on. As he tied the laces of his shoes, the bright red converse that were such a staple for his wardrobe, it dawned on him he wasn’t the only one wearing them. Glancing back at Delirious was another pair, one that Delirious had borrowed and never returned but instead had worn since. Had… had that been some subtle little clue that Delirious liked him back that he’d simply missed? He’d ended up having to order a new pair because honestly, they looked good on Delirious and he hadn’t wanted to ask for them back. Looping one lace over the other he had to really consider how dense he’d been for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span> now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You, uh, you got it from here?” Anthony asked from over by Squirrel, sounding more than a little flustered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks.” Squirrel sounded oblivious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz glanced over to see Squirrel getting dressed and Anthony fussing with the phone again. He couldn’t see Anthony’s face, but that mohawk did nothing to hide his ears or how red they were. The color stood out even worse against the phone receiver as Anthony brought it to his ear. With a sigh Cartoonz turned back to Delirious, who was just barely getting that blush under control, couldn’t have that. Catching Delirious’ attention again he cast Delirious a scandalous look, chuckling to himself as that bright shade of red overtook him again. Finally he moved to stand, setting his feet firmly on the floor before standing upright. The movement, the elevation, once again sent pain through the wound in his head, a wave of dizziness following it, up and down not making any sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He half expected to find himself on the floor when the world stopped spinning, but he didn’t. Standing before him, balancing him gently but firmly was Delirious, the flustered expression was gone, worry in its place. Cartoonz didn’t say anything and neither did Delirious, Cartoonz just leaned down, gently resting his forehead against Delirious’ a moment before ghosting a kiss across the other man’s lips. That seemed to be enough to banish Delirious’ concerns for the time being. He wrapped an arm around Delirious’ shoulders and Delirious wrapped an arm around his waist. It was a comfortable closeness but likewise, a promise of balance if vertigo returned to pitch the ground out from under him again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kyle! Dude, would you mind swinging by the hospital and picking us up?.... It’s a long story but I don’t think Squirrel should be walking anywhere…... We’ll explain when you get here ok?..... Thank you.” Anthony’s voice rolled through the quiet room, Kyle’s little more than a low-quality crackle from the phone’s receiver.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The receiver returned to its cradle with a clatter, Cartoonz watched as Anthony turned to give Squirrel a hand. When he looked to where they were going, out of the corner of his eye he saw Delirious had returned the mask fully to his face. Cartoonz pushed the door open and soon they were all filing down the hall, he almost stumbled once they were out in the halls. He’d been to the hospital before for less serious reasons and never before had he realized just how many dead people roamed the halls. There were few living people around, but from the view of his ghost eye Cartoonz wouldn’t have thought that. He tried his best not to get the attention of any of them, not wanting to be pestered with things he was in no shape to help with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They aren’t strong enough to hurt us even if they wanted.” Delirious whispered quietly at his side, quelling a bit of the panic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz nodded a little and pulled Delirious ever so slightly closer, taking comfort in the contact. He fell silent as the group of them made their way along, having to stop at the outpatient desk long enough to be checked out, given some final care instructions and then waved on. The mid-afternoon sun filtering through the glass doors ahead was a welcomed sight and it took a level of restraint not to pick up speed as they crossed the tiled floor. They pushed through the first set, then the second set of doors. The sun was warm on his face, the light was near blinding and as he blinked away the brightness he felt a bit disoriented again. The hazy blue sight of his right eye was gone, replaced by an indistinguishable white glare. That left Cartoonz entirely reliant on his remaining, normal eye. Any semblance of depth perception thrown out the window. It was startling and he hoped the loss of the ghostly sight wasn’t permanent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of tires on pavement caught his attention though and Cartoonz turned his head enough for his good eye to catch sight of the tacky orange, eighties model rabbit LS that Kyle drove. That was followed by the low squeal of brakes, bringing the car to a stop right before them. Kyle himself was leaning out the window, a look of bewildered concern filling his features.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The actual fuck happened to you guys? You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span> literally twelve hours ago.” Kyle demanded, sounding mildly horrified they’d managed to get into so much trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like I said, long fucking story.” Anthony replied, passing Cartoonz on his right side, the sound of the back driver door opening with a metallic creak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit… you guys look like you got in a fight with a homeless dude and </span>
  <em>
    <span>lost</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Kyle sighed, shaking his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not entirely inaccurate.” Delirious huffed as he guided the way around the front of the car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz didn’t mind, drifting along at Delirious’ side to the back passenger door of the car. He pulled the door open as Delirious let go, the sound of this one worse than the other. Cartoonz let Delirious help him into the car to avoid hitting his head, for the amount of times he climbed in before with no issue, he’d been dangerously close to clobbering his head this time. He got settled next to Squirrel who had the middle seat and looked a little dizzy in his own right. Cartoonz reached a steadying arm around him, offering a bit of stability until Anthony was settled and buckled on his other side. Turning he found Delirious waiting at his side with the buckle in hand so Cartoonz didn’t have to fumble blindly for it. He accepted it with a nod and got it buckled, the heavy thunk of the door slamming closed beside him drowning out the sound of the buckle clicking into place. Cartoonz sank into the obnoxiously burnt orange seat, the entire interior in that color and made it a little hard to differentiate much of anything in the state he was in, it was all orange in one eye and white in the other, leaving some nightmare cycle static his brain couldn’t quite process. He closed his good eye and covered the other gently, it didn’t help much but it at least drowned out the visuals his brain suddenly refused to process.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what the fuck happened?” Kyle asked, his voice accompanied by the sound of Delirious getting in the front seat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A fucking violent ghost, that’s what happened.” Squirrel grumbled, sounding tired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bitch nearly killed Cartoonz and Squirrel both before we got the fuck out of there. Now Rilla’s sitting in jail because that one fuckwad of a deputy decided since Rilla was covered in their blood he must be at fault.” Anthony added, cutting straight to the point and sounding none too happy about any of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God </span>
  <em>
    <span>damn</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Okay that’d explain a lot, wait, a fucking what now- no, no never mind I don’t fucking want to know shit. I don’t need some god damn curse or hex or some shit, anyway, is there anything we can do to help Rilla?” Kyle asked, letting the car roll into motion again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Andrew is already on it, for now we need to swing by the pharmacy.” Delirious said, sounding absolutely deflated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can do that, yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The soft rumble of tires on the road, the warmth of sun filtering through the windows to beat down on his skin. The smell of aged plastic, sunbaked and cracked interwoven with the smell of old upholstery. There was a dusty edge, though Cartoonz knew Kyle took pride in the car most people would consider shitty, even for its age and abuse of previous owners, but he took good care of it. The smell of it though, of old foam and weak, failed glue, gave away so much that was invisible to the eye. It was familiar though and gave Cartoonz something </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> to hold onto while his brain wrapped itself around everything. He wondered if anything would feel normal or if the waves of uncertainty would continue. Once he felt a little more centered again he let his hands fall from his face and opened his good eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ghost eye still showed a painful level of white nothing, but slowly his good eye took focus. The car was still an atrocious color, but he could pick apart the details again. He could see Squirrel laying heavily against Anthony’s side, he could see Kyle guiding the car along familiar old streets of the small town. Just from the sound changing under the tires Cartoonz knew where they were, he knew which part of town they’d just reached without even looking out the windows. The quiet was shattered when the radio flicked on suddenly, seemingly of its own accord. Everyone jumped a bit at that and after a few bars into whatever song was on that station, the radio clicked and switched to the next programmed station.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my fucking god it’s here, y’all brought it with you!” Kyle snapped, unnerved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not the one that hurt us.” Cartoonz clarified, though not likely enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He says he’s ‘not an it, thank you.’ By the way, his name is Corpse.” Delirious stated, tone flat and unconcerned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re kidding me, you’re fucking kidding me.” Kyle said, jumping as the station on the radio changed again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If not for him we wouldn’t have made it out of there alive, any of us.” Anthony cut in, his tone firm and serious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’m grateful to him for it but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>brought him with you?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Kyle asked incredulously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well… yeah.” Delirious shrugged, as if that should have been the obvious answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Technically Jihi went and got him for us.” Cartoonz added, smirking at the way Kyle’s face screwed up more, the twitch in his body signaling how close he was to slamming on the breaks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jihi is in on this?</span>
  </em>
  <span> You’re kidding, this is a joke, an elaborate prank. Or did I stumble into some alternate dimension where this shit is real?” Kyle asked, nearly missing his turn and having to scramble to make it safely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I honestly hadn’t given it any thought until last night, turns out it’s very real.” Cartoonz explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I guess some are worse than others like, the weird stuff that always happened at my grandma’s could have been a ghost, we joked it was, but nothing bad ever happened.” Squirrel added, he sounded like he was barely awake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… the hospital is actually full of harmless ghosts walking the halls, it’s… unnerving.” Cartoonz admitted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is… this is insane, just insane.” Kyle noted, resting an elbow against the door and snaking his own fingers through his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group fell to not quite silence, the radio still carrying on, the station was for the nearest large city, the signal was a bit choppy but the news spilled forth regardless. It was nothing particularly notable but Cartoonz guessed Corpse was probably curious what had been going on since his death. The clicking of the turn signal joined the choppy radio and the car slowed down. Kyle smoothly guided the car into the drive-through of the pharmacy, moving the arm holding his head only to work the window crank. The radio cut to silence, the light in the display faded as it shut off without any effort on part of anyone breathing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a short exchange with the brunette working the window, they had what they needed. The upside to living in a small town, Cartoonz supposed. That job had to be about twice as boring as his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should probably stop somewhere and get some food.” Delirious noted as he read the front of one of the prescription bags.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Burgers or pizza?” Kyle asked, the only two options their tiny ass town had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Burgers are faster.” Anthony noted and with no arguments forthcoming Kyle turned the car that way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Old buildings went by in a lazy blur but Cartoonz was not really focusing on them as he watched the space ahead and to the side. He knew the underpass was coming before the car started to dip downwards, giving him a moment to brace against the feeling. It was unpleasant but not as bad as sitting up had been. What he wasn’t braced for however, was the way the deep shadows of the underpass cut away the blinding white in one eye, the way the bleary blue flooded back suddenly, with Corpse right in his face. To say Cartoonz jumped out of his skin was putting it lightly, he’d not expected to suddenly see that ghastly mask so impossibly close to his own face, looming like some visage of death. Then, as quickly as Corpse had appeared he vanished, the white nothing flooding back as the car pulled back upwards again. Cartoonz closed his good eye on reflex, covering his face with his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cartoonz, have you not been able to see Corpse over this whole car ride?” Delirious asked after a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… no, I, not since we left the hospital, until just now… what the fuck.” He grumbled, wishing he had some idea how the sight was supposed to function.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He says he’s sorry for scaring you, he thought you were ignoring him.” Delirious offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No I… I’m just half blind.” Cartoonz explained, sinking back into the seat again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They fell back to relative silence, Corpse fucking with the radio and Kyle pulling up to the burger place to order. It wasn’t long before the overly orange car was drowned in the smell of grilled beef and fried potatoes. It wasn’t until then that Cartoonz realized just how starved he was, nothing was passed back to them however. When Cartoonz looked up he saw the way Anthony stared longingly at the paper bags that must have been in Delirious’ lap. Kyle’s no eating in the care rule was being held firm though and despite how Cartoonz’s stomach felt like it was going to eat a hole in itself he didn’t complain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where we going?” Kyle asked as he pulled away from the burger place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh, the doctor said to keep an eye on Squirrel so how about my place? I’ve got enough room for extra people to crash.” Delirious offered and Kyle nodded, setting the car in motion yet again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was odd, going full circle like that, going back after what felt like some arduous journey, back to the place they’d started. Twelve hours… it felt more like days, yet here they were, rolling along, the old Rabbit climbing up onto the highway that he and the others had crossed when they’d set off so early in the morning. Turning off on Delirious’s street, passing back by the yard now void of the hyper dog. To be pulling into the empty driveway of the place Delirious called home. As the engine cut off Cartoonz opened the door, the others following suit, as he stepped out onto the concrete of the driveway, turning to see Anthony carefully extracting Squirrel from the car, something settled in his mind. Something he’d never really considered before but he couldn’t deny either. No matter where Delirious lived, no matter where he called home, Cartoonz would be comfortable there. He was relieved at the choice, finding he’d rather be here than anywhere else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious and Kyle carried food, Anthony carried a sleeping Squirrel, Cartoonz pulled himself together and hurried ahead of them, getting the door. No sooner had he stepped into the comfortable darkness of the house did the painful white nothing fade from his ghost vision. He could see that blue haze, the vague idea of where the walls and whatnot were, but also the ability to see Corpse wandering around curiously. Cartoonz held the door, Delirious and friends filed through after the ghost, Delirious turning on the light as he passed the switch. The artificial light didn’t affect Cartoonz’s ghost eye, same as the hospital lighting in that regard, so perhaps the sun had everything to do with the uncomfortable brightness. Closing the door after everyone, Cartoonz turned, followed Delirious and Kyle into the kitchen, gratefully accepting a wrapped burger when it was shoved into his hands. Cartoonz pulled back the wrapper fast enough to rip it and in a blink half of the burger was gone. Finally though, with the edge of the hunger having been taken off and he was able to take in his surroundings again. Across the room he saw Anthony gently settling Squirrel down on the couch, the space where just hours before they’d all been laughing and gaming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How badly Cartoonz hoped things could go back to that comfortable normal soon. That they’d all be safe, well and comfortable again. He couldn’t help but feel like something big had changed, if that change was good or bad he didn’t know yet, but it was a strong feeling, one that left him nervous. He hoped that Rilla would be back sooner rather than later and seeing how Anthony scooped up Delirious’ phone from its charger on his way into the kitchen, Cartoonz guessed they might get an update soon. Anthony had already dialed and put the phone to his ear before he reached the kitchen, accepting a burger and then wandering out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey dad, we’re at Delirious’ place…” was all of the conversation Cartoonz heard before Anthony was out of earshot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking back to the others, Kyle looked worried and Delirious just looked tired. Cartoonz took a step closer, a bit closer than intended and bumped into Delirious, but wrapped an arm around him anyway. Delirious leaned his head against Cartoonz’s shoulder, leaving Cartoonz’s heart to do that light, fluttering feeling again. Turning his head just enough, Cartoonz planted a kiss right on the top of Delirious’ head just to the side of one of the mask’s straps. Delirious let out a contented sigh, his exhaustion obvious from the way he picked at his food. They all should have crashed hours ago and Cartoonz felt a pang of guilt once again for putting the man he loved through a night of hell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going to get some sleep after this, right?” Cartoonz asked gently, glancing up as his eyes caught movement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll sleep once we know Rilla’s out.” Delirious said quietly, leaning a bit heavier against Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Across the room, into the living room, Cartoonz saw Corpse looking around, the ghost wandering past the couch and out of sight. Then, after a moment he returned, dragging a blanket that he flung up over the sleeping Squirrel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Kyle whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh thank god, he’s gaining his strength back.” Delirious noted, sounding greatly relieved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kyle cast Delirious a questioning glance but Delirious gave no further explanation, munching away at his burger. Anthony rejoined them, dropping the phone to the counter before snatching up a burger of his own. Cartoonz didn’t say anything just yet, letting the man get some food down first since he’d already put that off. Anthony looked less on edge though and Cartoonz was able to take some solace in that alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rilla?” Delirious asked after a few minutes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just wait.” Anthony said, tone much more relaxed than it had been thus far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious grumbled back something indistinguishable but let the matter drop. Cartoonz crumpled up then tossed the now empty burger wrapper in the trash, watching as Corpse pushed open the door to the bathroom. Once again Kyle went all rigid, having noticed that too. For the next few minutes it was just the sound of eating, an air of exhaustion and uncertainty. That came to an abrupt end when Kyle all but jumped over the kitchen island they were all standing at. Cartoonz looked over to see Kyle scrambling and reaching at his back, behind him Corpse stood, clearly snickering though Cartoonz heard nothing. Finally Kyle wrangled free the shower scrubber that’d been shoved down the back of his shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz burst into laughter at the pure absurdity of it, Delirious and Anthony not far behind. Kyle was more confused but he simply set the thing down on the countertop, staring in Corpse’s general direction with a mild level of judgment. That only made it all the funnier though, Cartoonz laughing all the harder. Gasping for air and wiping a tear away as the laughter faded he turned and got a jump of his own. The laughter must have woken Squirrel as he was standing on the other side of the island now, looking between them with a questioning expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened?” Squirrel asked, something uneasy in his tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you remember the hospital visit?” Delirious asked and slowly Squirrel shook his head, only to freeze when he looked up at Cartoonz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh god… your eye… is it really…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apparently a delicacy to old lady ghosts.” Cartoonz shrugged and Squirrel cringed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, is Squirrel not remembering shit?” Kyle asked, worry creeping into his tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well considering he got cold-cocked by a fucking lamp, his brains are a bit scrambled.” Cartoonz explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that what happened when that… thing screamed at me?” Squirrel asked, to which Cartoonz, Anthony, and Delirious all nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just my fucking luck, huh? Wait… where is Rilla? She didn’t go after him did she?” Squirrel asked, worry spiking higher.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anthony set down his food, taking a steadying breath, looking all serious again. That not only drew Squirrel’s attention but seemed to worry him more, the silence dragged on for a long few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Things got a bit chaotic after you got knocked out.” Anthony started to explain but already Squirrel seemed to be reading the situation wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No… No, where is he? Where’s Rilla? He’s okay, right? He’s not hurt- he’s not…” Squirrel shook his head, taking a step back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, hold on.” Anthony said, patting the air between them, the expression on his face showing the realization he’d already worded things wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold onto what Anthony?! What happened to Rilla?” There were tears welling in Squirrel’s eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pull yourself together Squirrel, Rilla’s-” Cartoonz tried to cut in but Squirrel spoke right over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh god… is he dead? He is, isn’t he? There’s no way we all made it out, there isn’t. Oh god, oh fuck… Rilla… I never, I never…” The tears were falling at that point and Cartoonz glanced to the others but there was a mutual deer in the headlights look shared between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz heard the door open, his attention settled back on Squirrel though, figuring Corpse was still fucking around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t… I’ll never get to tell him. Oh my god, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rilla</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” Squirrel said, burying his face in his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me what?” Rilla’s voice cut through the tense air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz’s attention snapped past Squirrel, to the tall man by the door, watching them with worry. He looked worse for wear, that was for sure, but otherwise he seemed unharmed. Quickly he hurried across the room, wrapping an arm around Squirrel. There was a mix of emotions on the man’s face, worry, fear, relief, confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That… That I love you, Rilla.” Squirrel sobbed, not even registering the very man he seemed to think was dead was right beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Squirrel…” Rilla’s voice was low, gently he reached out to pull Squirrel into his arms, tears welling in his eyes as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was another sound that caught Cartoonz’s ears though, one low and uneasy. Glancing towards the source he saw Anthony rocked back on his heels, the expression on his face was that of someone who just got punched in the gut. There was a tangle of emotion there that Anthony was working hard to try and bury.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rilla?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Oh my god you’re not dead.” Squirrel squawked, looking up at the man holding him and sobbing all the harder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, neither are you. I was worried about you.” Rilla admitted, holding Squirrel gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that, I…” Anthony said, a nervous, pained edge to his tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There was a lot of serious shit to go over with that question.” Cartoonz offered but Anthony shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still could have said anything better… I’m…” Anthony looked somewhere between panic and being sick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without another word Anthony headed for the door, walking right past Rilla and Squirrel, Squirrel who caught Anthony by the arm. Anthony froze but didn’t turn around, just holding rigid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, Anthony, don’t leave.” Squirrel pleaded softly, clearly not holding anything against the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I…” Anthony couldn’t seem to find any kind of reply or argument.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please…” Squirrel pleaded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rilla didn’t let the tension build any further, reaching out and pulling Anthony into his arms with Squirrel, who melted against them both.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try not to take anything too hastily, it’s been a long fucking night and we’re all stressed and tired.” Rilla pointed out and from where Cartoonz was standing he could see the look on Anthony’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz could see the way Anthony caved, how he let go of his trepidations and just melted into the embrace of the two. Cartoonz got the impression the three had some unspoken words of their own to share, ones that Squirrel had unwittingly spilled a few of to start. For now, that was their issue to deal with, Delirious was barely staying on his feet at Cartoonz’s side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon you, bed.” Cartoonz stated, guiding Delirious out of the kitchen and towards his bedroom door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delirious leaned heavily against him as they crossed the room to the door but Cartoonz hesitated there. It wasn’t his place to go barging through and he knew that. For as welcomed as those Delirious liked were in his home, the standing rule was to stay the fuck out of Delirious’ bedroom. Cartoonz wasn’t about to blunder past that boundary now. Delirious hesitated as well though, glancing up at Cartoonz with a thoughtful expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait here.” He said finally before slipping away, carefully slipping through the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cartoonz did as instructed, waiting, curious. He could hear the sound of something getting shuffled away, then the opening and closing of drawers. Silence followed before finally Delirious opened the door again, a bit wider this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can come in here… just stay out of my desk.” Delirious requested tiredly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got it.” Cartoon promised, stepping into the room as Delirious stepped back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a desk with large drawers on one wall, a dresser next to it. There was a bed on the other wall and a toppled laundry hamper blocking the closet door. There was a shelf above the desk with a few random collectibles on it, a battered teddy bear sat amid the tangle of blankets on the bed. Delirious closed the door after him and Cartoonz waited for Delirious to take the lead. Moving sluggishly, Delirious grabbed Cartoonz’s hand and led him towards the bed, shoes kicked off and hoodie pulled off and thrown aside. Cartoonz followed suit, quietly glad to have the bloody thing off and tossed to the floor. Delirious climbed up on the bed, pulling the mask off of his head altogether to then gently settle it over the face of the teddy bear, which was then settled between himself and the wall. Cartoonz waited at the side of Delirious’ bed until Delirious motioned for Cartoonz to join him. Not one to leave such a handsome man waiting, Cartoonz did just that, climbing into bed with Delirious, slipping his arms around Delirious in a way he’d only ever dared daydream about. He snuggled close, Delirious wrapped his arms around Cartoonz in turn. Cartoonz buried his face in the crook of Delirious’ neck, ever so gently placing a kiss there. Delirious let out a pleased sigh, melting in Cartoonz’s grasp. Comfortably tangled together it wasn’t long before Delirious was asleep peacefully in Cartoonz’s grasp. Comfortably draped at Delirious’ other side, using the teddy bear as a pillow, was Corpse. He looked perfectly content to rest there, a pleasant, peaceful feeling radiated from the ghost. Cartoonz’s own eyelids getting heavy, he sank a little heavier into the comfortable bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things had changed, that was for certain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps though, they had changed for the best.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This has been quite the ride hasn't it? More to come soon eeheh<br/>I will admit, the oc Andrew came from the fact that early on I kept typing andrew instead of Anthony, so I ran with it.<br/>As always, comments are welcome!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>oops, my pen slipped &gt;:3</p><p>I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed! More coming soon &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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